As the founder of Taoism, Laozi advocated non-action. His Taoist temple, the Tushita Palace, had no immortals or goddesses, only two fire- tending boys and a blue ox.
Those two boys were none other than the Golden Horn King and the Silver Horn King from Journey to the West. They were mediocre, and if they hadn't stolen a few treasures from Laozi and descended to the mortal realm during their journey, they would have been easily defeated by Sun Wukong with a single blow.
Wang Xuan was naturally not worried about the two Taoist boys. On the contrary, the green ox was extremely magical. During the Journey to the West, it fought many rounds with Sun Wukong. It was estimated that its strength was no less than that of the Bull Demon King.
To avoid being discovered by the blue ox, Wang Xuan didn't even use his divine sense to check. Instead, he concealed his aura and turned into a speck of dust, drifting into the Tushita Palace with the wind.
The green ox's cultivation level was ultimately much lower than Wang Xuan's, and since the green ox wasn't constantly paying attention to its surroundings, Wang Xuan entered the Tushita Palace without any trouble.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the Tushita Palace on TV looks small, as if it only has a few rooms. In reality, the Tushita Palace was the residence of the Supreme Taoist Ancestor, so it couldn't possibly be so shabby.
Wang Xuan passed through several grand halls and finally arrived at the alchemy room where Laozi usually refined pills. Just as he was about to search for the Nine-Turn Golden Pill, his expression suddenly froze, because an old Taoist in green robes had appeared behind him at some unknown time.
“Fellow Daoist, if you need elixirs, you can come to me openly and honestly. There’s no need for this.” The old Daoist’s unfathomable expression made Wang Xuan’s face flush red, feeling utterly humiliated.
Why did Sun Wukong repeatedly attempt to steal the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir from the Tushita Palace, only to find that Laozi was never home? And why was Wang Xuan caught red-handed as soon as he arrived to steal the elixir?
This is clearly discrimination!
Wang Xuan gave a wry smile and revealed himself. His method of infiltration might fool Sun Wukong's fiery eyes and Erlang Shen's heavenly eye, but it certainly couldn't outmaneuver a big shot like Laozi, especially since this was in the Tushita Palace—Laozi's lair!
Since Laozi did not attack Wang Xuan, it means they can talk, and Wang Xuan doesn't need to rush to escape.
"I have long admired the name of Fellow Daoist Taishang, and I have come here to pay my respects." Wang Xuan was shameless and addressed Taishang Laojun as Fellow Daoist directly.
Laozi didn't refute it. After all, there were only a handful of people in this world whose cultivation level was the same as his. Wang Xuan's cultivation was already close to his, so there was nothing inappropriate about calling him "fellow Daoist"—although it was a bit dishonest for this fellow Daoist to come to the Tushita Palace to steal pills...
"I see that you are not from our world, fellow Daoist. What is your purpose in coming to our world?" Laozi, whose expression was unreadable, directly revealed Wang Xuan's origins.
Wang Xuan was not surprised, because the moment he saw Laozi, he felt that the other party was somewhat similar to Nuwa and Tathagata of the Xuan Tian World. There was a faint aura of the Heavenly Dao on his body. Looking at them was like facing the Heavenly Dao directly, but he was not a controller of the Heavenly Dao like Wang Xuan.
This is the fruit of a saint's attainment!
Nuwa and the Great Sun Tathagata in the Xuan Tian World were granted the status of sainthood by Wang Xuan, the controller of the Heavenly Dao. However, Laozi in the Lotus Lantern World gained control of a portion of the Heavenly Dao's authority through his own power, thus becoming a Heavenly Dao Saint!
In this way, the strength that Laozi can exert far surpasses that of a seventh-order perfect realm. Even if he encounters an eighth-order early-stage powerhouse above the seventh-order god-demon realm, he can still exchange a few blows!
No wonder Laozi didn't care much about the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir; he didn't intervene when Sun Wukong came to the Tushita Palace to cause trouble several times.
Having cultivated to the level of Laozi, the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir has no effect on him whatsoever. It's just sitting there idly anyway, so it's not bad to use it to amuse the monkeys. Just treat it as watching a monkey show and have some fun.
Wang Xuan was horrified upon closer examination. If Laozi was so powerful that he had become a saint in the world of the Lotus Lantern, then Buddha, Nuwa, and Yuanshi Tianzun, who were at the same level as him, had most likely also become saints!
Lying in front of such a sage would definitely be seen through, so Wang Xuan simply stated his purpose directly: "Our world is about to merge with your world, the two worlds will become one, and the Heavenly Dao will also merge into one. I have come to scout ahead of time."
"Another world has descended? Two worlds have merged?!" The Supreme Lord Laozi's eyes shot out a dazzling blue light, and a powerful pressure overflowed, causing the space around him to distort and tremble, fully demonstrating the power of a saint.
If their world truly merges with another world, then the world's level will be further strengthened. Laozi will be promoted to the Heavenly Dao Saint of the Lotus Lantern Incident, after all, there is hope for further advancement, and it is not impossible that we will not see the legendary eighth-order cultivation!
"Is what you say true, fellow Daoist?" Although he knew Wang Xuan was not lying, Taishang Laojun still couldn't help but ask, "According to my senses, there are no other worlds approaching from the chaotic tides surrounding our world."
Wang Xuan rolled his eyes inwardly. He hadn't activated the fusion function of the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth yet, so the two worlds naturally wouldn't be close together. At this moment, they were still separated by an endless distance of time and space. It would be strange if you could sense them!
"The chaotic energy corrodes divine sense. Even with your cultivation level, how far can you perceive within the chaos?" Wang Xuan said. "I swear on my Dao heart that within ten years, the two worlds will merge, creating an even more powerful world!"
Laozi nodded. People who have cultivated to their level would not easily make oaths using their Dao heart.
Because once one's Dao heart is clouded, it will be very difficult to break through one's cultivation level in the future, so Laozi can be certain that he was not lying at all.
Chapter 256 Discussing the Dao and the Supreme Being
"The merging of the two worlds is a good thing. Fellow Daoist, are you a Heavenly Dao Saint from another world?" Laozi asked.
“Of course it is so. I am one of the Heavenly Dao Saints of another world!” Wang Xuan’s mind raced, but he did not reveal that he was controlled by the Heavenly Dao. He only admitted that he was a Heavenly Dao Saint.
The controller of the Heavenly Dao and the sage of the Heavenly Dao may seem similar, but the degree of control they have over the authority of the Heavenly Dao is vastly different.
If Laozi (the Supreme Lord Lao) knew that Wang Xuan was controlled by the Heavenly Dao, he might just destroy Wang Xuan.
Because Wang Xuan's control over the world is far above his own, once the two worlds merge, Wang Xuan's status will surpass his. Who knows if Laozi will accept this outcome?
As it turns out, Laozi wasn't entirely without desires. Faced with an opportunity to potentially advance his cultivation, he couldn't remain calm. He greeted Wang Xuan with a friendly expression and said, "Fellow Daoist, you come from another world. I also wish to know the mysteries of the Dao. Please stay and discuss the Dao with me. It won't be too late for you to leave once the two worlds begin to merge."
Wang Xuan's lips twitched. This old Taoist priest wanted to keep him in the Tushita Palace for close surveillance, and then decide how to deal with Wang Xuan when the two worlds merged.
Wang Xuan wasn't worried at all and readily agreed.
Once the two worlds are merged, Wang Xuan can directly borrow the power of the Xuan Tian Dao, so why would he still worry about Laozi?
However, Wang Xuan did not forget his original purpose in inviting the Heavenly Court.
"Fellow Daoist, I have taken on a disciple in your world. The little fellow has not been cultivating for long, and I would like to obtain some Nine-Turn Golden Pills for him to improve his cultivation. I wonder if anyone is willing to part with them?"
After thinking for a moment, Laozi finally said, "Go and take the elixirs from my Tushita Palace yourself."
"Laojun is indeed generous!" Wang Xuan's face beamed with joy, and he took all the pills from the Doushuai Palace without any hesitation.
With so many pills, Liu Chenxiang wouldn't consume many. Wang Xuan stored the ordinary pills in his sleeve space, where Liu Chenxiang was currently in seclusion and would naturally consume them for cultivation.
As for the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, Wang Xuan only took out one-tenth and put it into his sleeve space, while storing the rest in his spatial ring, intending to consume and refine it himself.
Laozi stared at Wang Xuan's sleeve, his gaze seemingly able to see through space and into Liu Chenxiang's body.
"I never expected your disciple to be this person! This person is the protagonist of this minor calamity, and we still need him to drive the operation of the Heavenly Dao. He cannot stay in the Tushita Palace for long." Laozi said, "Fellow Daoist, you should send your disciple to the mortal world."
Wang Xuan nodded: "It was my carelessness. A day in heaven is a year on earth. My disciple really cannot linger here any longer."
He reached out and made a hand seal, and the space inside his sleeve condensed into a small ball, enveloping Liu Chenxiang, the peaches, and the pills. Then, Wang Xuan threw it down to the mortal realm.
"boom!"
The small ball tore through space and landed in the human world, causing a great commotion. Some celestial beings wanted to come and investigate, but they were unable to set foot in the Tushita Palace and had to leave disappointed.
In the time that followed, Wang Xuan and Laozi discussed the Dao.
They each comprehend the laws of a world, which complements and promotes each other.
Laozi is the Heavenly Dao Saint of the Lotus Lantern World. Wang Xuan's cultivation is lower than Laozi's, but he is the Heavenly Dao Controller of the Xuan Tian World. Therefore, his understanding of the laws is no weaker than Laozi's.
At the beginning of their discussion, the two were somewhat wary of each other, but gradually they became immersed in the discussion, completely absorbed in it.
With the Supreme Lord Laozi, a sage of the Heavenly Dao, explaining the laws of the Lotus Lantern world to Wang Xuan, Wang Xuan gained immensely. He directly used the enlightenment function of the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth. In terms of the gains from this discussion, he gained far more than the Supreme Lord Laozi.
While discussing the Dao, he also consumed Nine-Turn Golden Elixir and Purple-Veined Peaches of Immortality, refining their energy to replenish his own foundation.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye. After five days, Wang Xuan's cultivation had completely reached the late stage of the seventh rank, and his combat power was comparable to the perfect seventh rank!
Moreover, Wang Xuan finally perfected the Mysterious Heaven Divine Technique.
Previously, he had collected many top-tier cultivation techniques in the Shushan World. Later, he merged the Fengyun World and the Shushan World, allowing him to directly comprehend the laws of the heavens, absorb their essence, and perfect the Xuantian Divine Head.
This discussion finally allowed Wang Xuan to complete the eighth-order cultivation method and learn how to cultivate beyond the seventh-order God-Demon realm.
“The seventh rank is the realm of gods and demons, or golden immortals, so the eighth rank can be called the realm of gods and kings, or the realm of great golden immortals!” Wang Xuan was extremely happy: “I have further perfected the Profound Heaven Divine Technique and can cultivate it to the eighth rank of perfection. Shouldn’t we change its name?”
Wang Xuan pondered for a long time before coming up with a high-end and sophisticated name – the Eternal Myriad Paths Technique!
It contains the essence of the Heavenly Dao from all the heavens and myriad realms, thus proving the Dao to be eternal and indestructible!
"Hahahaha! My path has been achieved!" Wang Xuan couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter echoing throughout the entire Heavenly Court.
Laozi had long since snapped out of his philosophical debate, and his gaze toward Wang Xuan was somewhat complicated.
He originally thought his cultivation was much stronger than Wang Xuan's. Although he believed Wang Xuan's explanation of "fusion of the two worlds", he couldn't help but underestimate the other world.
After all, Wang Xuan, the "Heavenly Dao Saint" of this other world, is not as powerful as the Heavenly Dao Saint of the Lotus Lantern world. This seems to indicate that the level of that world is weaker than that of the Lotus Lantern world.
That's why he didn't kill Wang Xuan, in order to cut off the wings of the other world and weaken its strength.
However, through this discussion, he discovered that Wang Xuan's understanding of the laws of the Great Dao was no weaker than his own, and his comprehension was even more heaven-defying, making him feel inferior to him!
"Laojun, don't get any bad ideas. If I want to escape, you can't stop me at all!" Wang Xuan warned, as if he had something in mind.
At the same time, he directly activated the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth, opening a world passage connecting the Xuan Tian World, causing the Heavenly Dao of the two worlds to collide and clash with each other.
"Is this the other world you were talking about?" The Supreme Dao Ancestor's expression was somewhat strange: "Fellow Daoist, your method is truly extraordinary, actually able to directly communicate between two worlds!"
"And there's something even more bizarre!" Wang Xuan chuckled, then activated the Eternal Tower's function of merging worlds, forcibly combining the two worlds together.
Chapter 257 Merging Realms
As the Heavenly Sage of the Lotus Lantern World, Laozi was extremely sensitive to the Lotus Lantern World.
He could clearly feel that the world he was in was moving rapidly in the chaos, traversing hundreds of light-years in an instant.
"What incredible power this is! It can actually move our world!" Laozi was filled with shock. Even with his level of cultivation, he could only move low-level martial worlds within the chaos at most.
As for moving the world of the Lotus Lantern, a mythical world, that was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of.
Moreover, Wang Xuan was currently activating the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth to merge with the world, and the Lotus Lantern World was moving at an astonishing speed in the chaos, a billion times faster than the speed at which Laozi flew at full speed!
Faced with such immense power, Lao Tzu felt as small and helpless as an ant.
"Even the Heavenly Dao of our world cannot resist it, and can only let this vast and mighty force move at will. If this force is used to kill me, even if my strength increases a hundredfold, I will be powerless to resist!" Laozi was filled with fear.
It should be known that the Heavenly Dao of the Lotus Lantern World, according to the realm division set by Wang Xuan, is at the late stage of the eighth rank, and it still has no power to resist.
Actually, this was all just Laozi scaring himself. Although the power of the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth was immense, Wang Xuan could only activate it to a limited extent. It was fine for traversing and merging with countless worlds, but if he wanted to target and destroy a specific being, well, that was impossible. I simply couldn't do it...
Looking at the astonished expression on Laozi's face, Wang Xuan couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing, while also marveling at the power of the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth.
Could this be a supreme treasure crafted by a ninth-tier expert? Or perhaps a higher-level tenth or eleventh-tier treasure?
Whether the path of cultivation has an end, Wang Xuan didn't know. He also didn't know what level of treasure the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth truly was. His current cultivation level was still too low, and his perspective too limited, but he believed he would find out someday.
The fusion of the Lotus Lantern World and the Xuantian World has begun. The two worlds are rapidly approaching each other in the chaos, and the Heavenly Dao of the two worlds has begun to collide and merge through the World Passage.
Although the Xuan Tian World has only recently broken through to the mythological world, it has merged with countless worlds such as the Shu Mountain World, the Wind and Cloud World, the Dream of the Red Chamber World, and the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio World. Its world level and laws are no weaker than those of the Lotus Lantern World, and are even slightly stronger.
It's just that the Xuan Tian World has only been evolved to this level for a short time, so the number of experts it has accumulated is not as large as that of the Bao Lian Lantern World.
Wang Xuan could sense that the Heavenly Dao of the Xuan Tian World had a slight advantage through his connection with it. If the Heavenly Daos of the two worlds were to fully merge, the Heavenly Dao of the Xuan Tian World would occupy 55% of the share, while the Heavenly Dao of the Lotus Lantern World would only occupy 45%.
"This is really good news!" Wang Xuan looked down and gazed through space, seeing Liu Chenxiang in the mortal realm: "I no longer need to worry about the merging of worlds. I wonder how my disciple is doing?"
As Wang Xuan released his divine sense to observe, he quickly sensed Liu Chenxiang's current condition.
A day in heaven is equivalent to a year on earth. Wang Xuan spent a few days discussing the Dao with Laozi in the Tushita Palace, but several years had already passed in the mortal realm.
Liu Chenxiang truly deserves to be called the chosen one of destiny in this era of the Lotus Lantern world. With the help of the peaches of immortality and golden pills given to him by Wang Xuan, he has already broken through to the sixth-order perfect realm, and even has one foot in the early seventh-order realm. His strength is roughly the same as that of the Bull Demon King.