155: Xiao Zhuo's Way

As Xiao Zhuo chose his opponent for the ninth floor, the atmosphere in the entire Blood Fiend Plaza reached its peak.

"He actually chose True Immortal Tianyuan?" An Elder in the Late Tribulation Crossing Stage was completely stunned by Xiao Zhuo's choice, unsure whether to praise Xiao Zhuo for his courage or call him overconfident.

"It seems he really chose True Immortal Tianyuan..." Another Elder replied blankly.

True Immortal Tianyuan Lu Tianyuan was the first True Immortal recorded to have achieved Ascension in the Xuanling Realm era, possessing the Tianyuan Saint Body, unparalleled Physical Body, and mana hundreds of times greater than ordinary Cultivators.

He possessed over ten great Divine Abilities, as well as various secret arts.

He was widely recognized as the strongest Prodigy in the history of the Xuanling Realm, achieving Ascension to the Immortal Realm and becoming a True Immortal before the age of one thousand.

The Blood Fiend Tower had a mysterious Origin, and there were even legends that it was an ancient divine artifact obtained by True Immortal Tianyuan.

It was only named the Blood Fiend Tower after falling into the hands of the Blood Palace; in reality, both the Blood Fiend Tower and the blood fiend stele were not forged by the Blood Palace, but were ancient relics.

Many powerful individuals on the blood fiend stele were not even recorded in the history of the Xuanling Realm or the Blood Demon Realm.

Among them were many ancient races, and the fact that True Immortal Tianyuan could defeat numerous ancient imprints to reach the top spot showed how terrifying his strength was. He was absolutely a Heaven-Defying figure; it was no exaggeration to say he dominated not just an era, but all of wan fa (myriad laws).

And what Xiao Zhuo chose now was the imprint of this greatest legendary figure in the Xuanling Realm and even the Blood Demon Realm.

The moment Xiao Zhuo made his choice, a chorus of exclamations erupted across the Blood Fiend Plaza, and even Xue Qin's beautiful eyes lifted slightly.

Since the Blood Palace acquired the Blood Fiend Tower, only Old Ancestor Blood Heaven had ever qualified to challenge the top hundred, and Blood Heaven had also chosen True Immortal Tianyuan.

No one knew the details of the challenge process; the Blood Palace never revealed it, but the outcome was very clear.

Blood Heaven remained stuck at over three hundred, never entering the Blood Fiend Tower again.

At this moment, Xiao Zhuo had already arrived on a floating immortal mountain shrouded in immortal mist.

He didn't know who Lu Tianyuan, ranked first, truly was; he simply wanted to challenge the strongest in the Blood Fiend Tower.

Now that his mana, Physical Body, and Divine Soul had all reached Void Refinement Peak, he hadn't even used his full strength when fighting Heavenly Corpse True Lord. He wanted to see how strong the strongest Prodigy's imprint in the Blood Fiend Tower truly was.

And who was stronger, himself or the imprint.

The moment he stepped onto the immortal mountain, he immediately realized he had entered a Domain. This Domain was extremely special; it didn't suppress him, and even allowed his mind to calm.

However, his Divine Sense was suppressed by the Domain, only able to spread a hundred zhang, detecting no abnormalities.

Xiao Zhuo could only proceed towards the peak of the immortal mountain.

He chose not to fly, but to walk slowly, his Heaven-Observing Divine Eye already lit up, continuously analyzing this special Domain.

In the Blood Fiend Tower, he didn't believe the opponent wouldn't attack him.

On the immortal mountain, the Spiritual Qi, transformed into spiritual mist, billowed like smoke, with verdant Spiritual Roots everywhere, and flowers, grasses, and fruit trees full of vibrant life, appearing as real as solid objects at a glance.

But Xiao Zhuo had no mind to pluck or examine them.

He had already sensed the difference in this stage; perhaps challenging other top hundred imprints wouldn't be like this. Only this top-ranked powerhouse was the most special.

Xiao Zhuo slowly ascended the mountain, and the legendary True Immortal Tianyuan still did not appear. Yet, the onlookers outside continued to stare intently at the light screen, afraid to miss even a detail, not daring to blink.

The First Immortal of all ages!

No one thought they would have a chance to see his true appearance today.

After an unhurried climb of nearly an hour, Xiao Zhuo arrived at the mountain peak, where a young man dressed in simple white cloth appeared before him.

He had a faint golden rhombus mark between his brows, and his facial features were not outstanding, only describable as ordinary. However, at first glance, Xiao Zhuo felt an extreme sense of ease, and subconsciously sensed a gentle, jade-like, immortal and Dao-like aura.

Before Xiao Zhuo could react, the young man's eyes trembled open. A soft golden light seemed to illuminate the entire world, then flashed and disappeared.

The young man's pupils were faintly colorless, empty yet serene.

These were eyes Xiao Zhuo couldn't describe.

"Has it been one hundred thousand years?" The young man looked at Xiao Zhuo, a thoughtful expression on his face. His fingers subtly moved as if divining something. "Little friend! Are you the Dao debater of this era?"

At the peak of the immortal mountain, clouds surged, and spiritual mist entanglement the ancient pavilions like silk ribbons. Lu Tianyuan's voice was calm and gentle, yet carried a profound sense of weight that seemed to transcend time, as if he wasn't conversing with a challenger, but welcoming a long-awaited visitor.

"Dao debate?" Xiao Zhuo's brows furrowed slightly. The golden light of his Heaven-Observing Divine Eye flowed, attempting to analyze the seemingly ordinary yet unfathomable figure before him. However, the opponent's body seemed enveloped by an invisible 'emptiness'; his divine light penetrated it like a mud ox entering the sea, only feeling an boundless tranquility. "Senior, what do you mean? Isn't the Blood Fiend Tower set up precisely for challenging the imprints of powerful individuals and verifying one's own Dao?"

Lu Tianyuan smiled faintly, a smile that seemed to encompass all things in the world.

He did not answer directly, but raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing a seemingly ordinary green blade of grass beside him.

In an instant, the green grass shimmered with light, and countless intricate golden runes appeared on its leaves. A majestic life aura and an unyielding Dao Principle surged forth, then immediately returned to normal.

"The Dao is everywhere. Every blade of grass, every tree, every breath, all are traces of the Dao." Lu Tianyuan's voice was like a clear mountain spring, flowing into Xiao Zhuo's heart. Strangely, his empty eyes made Xiao Zhuo feel completely seen through. "Combat is a form of Dao struggle, a clash of power and Law. And Dao debate is an exchange of hearts and principles, a quest for the Origin of the Dao. This tower keeps me here not for slaughter, but to open a sliver of heavenly mystery for those who seek the Dao."

He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the tower walls, seeing the myriad Cultivators outside holding their breath, and also seeing the immense power and unyielding will hidden within Xiao Zhuo, not yet fully manifest.

"You possess a wondrous pupil, capable of observing the Laws of Heaven and Earth; this is the foundation for 'seeing the Dao'. Your Physical Body, mana, and Divine Soul have all reached Void Refinement Peak, though not yet the absolute limit, they have melted wan fa (myriad laws) into one furnace; this is the instrument for 'practicing the Dao'. However," Lu Tianyuan's tone remained calm, yet each word was like a hammer, striking Xiao Zhuo's Dao Heart, "do you know why you practice the Dao? What does your Dao truly look like? Is it to break all Laws with force, to be supreme? Is it to guard a region, to protect all living beings? Is it to pursue eternity, to transcend freely? Or... is it simply to climb the Peak and behold all the scenery?"

Above the plaza, the former clamor completely subsided.

Everyone was deeply shocked by this unprecedented "Dao debate" opening.

True Immortal Tianyuan's words seemed to contain the ultimate truths of Heaven and Earth, directly questioning the most fundamental pursuits within every Cultivator's heart.

Xue Qin's eyes flickered, deep in thought. She vaguely felt that this was by no means a simple imprint dialogue, but rather a resonance of Dao Principle spanning across time and space.

Xiao Zhuo's mind was greatly shaken.

Along his journey, he had overcome countless obstacles, slaying numerous demons, and arrived in the Blood Demon Realm. His sole pursuit was to become stronger, reach the top, unravel the mystery of his Transmigration, and protect what he cherished in his heart.

But the fundamental question of "What is Dao?" he had never clearly defined.

His Dao was the sharpness forged in blood and fire, the integration after witnessing the wan fa (myriad laws) of Heaven and Earth, the infinite possibilities brought by the panel... They intertwined, forming the driving force for his progress, yet seemed to lack a core "name."

He took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent thoughts. The light from his Heaven-Observing Divine Eye instead receded, becoming profound and introspective.

Facing this First Immortal of all ages, any disguise or lie would seem ridiculous.

"Junior's Dao is still in exploration." Xiao Zhuo's voice was steady, carrying an honesty that faced his true heart. "It is not for supremacy, nor simply for protection or transcendence. What Junior seeks is 'freedom'."

"Freedom?" Lu Tianyuan seemed quite interested in this answer.

"Yes!" Xiao Zhuo's eyes blazed, meeting the other's gaze that seemed to penetrate everything. "The freedom of not being manipulated by fate! The freedom of not fearing powerful enemies surrounding me! The freedom to resolve the doubts in my heart! The freedom to protect those I cherish safely! The freedom to act as I please, unrestrained, to traverse all the Heavens and wan fa (myriad laws), to exhaust the profound mysteries of the Grand Dao! This path must break shackles with force, illuminate the way with wisdom, and stabilize the Universe with heart!"

"Break shackles with force, illuminate the way with wisdom, and stabilize the Universe..." Lu Tianyuan repeated softly. In the depths of his empty eyes, an extremely subtle starlight seemed to flash and vanish, so quickly that one might think it was an illusion. "What a 'Dao of Freedom'. This Dao encompasses everything, yet it is also fraught with thorns. Force can break shackles, but it can also become new shackles; wisdom can illuminate the way, but it can also fall into delusion; the heart can stabilize the Universe, but it can also be clouded by attachment... Little friend, your Dao is grand and difficult."

Lu Tianyuan slowly rose, his simple white cloth robes moving without wind. An indescribable 'momentum' began to permeate the air; it wasn't oppressive power, but rather as if the entire immortal mountain, and even the surrounding Heaven and Earth Laws, were slowly revolving and responding with him as the center.

"The Dao needs to be verified, needs to be tempered. Can your 'freedom' withstand the 'questioning' of the wan fa (myriad laws) of this Heaven and Earth?" He raised his hand, making a sweeping gesture.

In an instant, the wind and clouds changed color at the peak of the immortal mountain. Endless Spiritual Qi gathered, actually evolving terrifying scenes of revolving stars, alternating sun and moon, and the Reincarnation of creation and destruction above his palm!

This was not an illusion, but the manifestation of Dao Principle!

This First Immortal of all ages actually stirred the Heaven and Earth Dao Principle with his Void Refining level cultivation.

"Come, let me see if your 'freedom' can find its 'truth' in this 'Myriad Dao Heaven Evolution Chart'!"

As his voice fell, that miniature Universe, condensed from pure Dao Principle, carrying an irresistible yet non-destructive vast power, slowly pressed down towards Xiao Zhuo.

This was not a simple killing technique, but the most fundamental, most profound "question"!