Everyone had begun preparing for ascension.
Zhang Xiaohu was battling the Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor within the Ascension Tower. The flames filling the sky, the inferno that overturned the firmament, engulfed him.
His vision went black, and he was teleported out of the tower.
The Great Vehicle stage Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor was already terrifying. This was Zhang Xiaohu's eighty-eighth failure, yet he was only at the early Great Vehicle stage. Defeating the peak Great Vehicle Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor remained incredibly difficult.
However, these repeated failures were primarily for accumulating experience. He believed he could defeat the Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor once he reached the peak Great Vehicle stage.
After a while, Liang Zifan was also unceremoniously teleported out. Upon seeing Zhang Xiaohu, he laughed heartily, "Brother Hu, what a coincidence, you failed too?"
Zhang Xiaohu scratched his head awkwardly. Although he had also reached the Great Vehicle stage, his cultivation was still at the bottom of the Ice Sword Mercenary Group.
"It's a bit tough. I should have a chance when I'm in the late Great Vehicle stage... Li Qingyun and Brother Da Teng are still more formidable; they can already clear the seventh level."
Liang Zifan put his hands in his pockets and looked at Zhang Xiaohu, who appeared somewhat unwilling to accept defeat. After a moment, he said, "Brother Hu, you and I are different from them. They will forge their own paths, but we... we are to inherit their Dao."
He pointed to the Ascension Tower.
From the very beginning, Liang Zifan had aspired to become the Nine Tribulations Thunder Emperor. The first time he was defeated by a Nine Tribulations Thunder Emperor at the Qi Refining stage, he saw the Thunder Emperor's life story in the Ascension Tower and felt he was destined to be such a person.
Zhang Xiaohu was similar to the Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor. This initially weakest Immortal Emperor was once a nobody, who gradually rose to become an admired figure.
Zhang Xiaohu deeply resonated with the early stages of the Nine Heavens Blazing Emperor's journey, hence he also wished to become that kind of man.
Liang Zifan continued, "Actually, Brother Hu, you don't need to envy them at all. You are an idol to many. The reason I desperately tried to attract Immortal Brother's attention in the Demon Spirit Realm was because I watched your first livestream in the Demon Spirit Realm."
"Hahaha, don't mock me..."
"No, why would I mock you? You are the purest among all of us. Unlike me, my mind is full of distractions. I'm always thinking about showing off and regretting why my spirit artifact isn't a loli. Sometimes my cultivation isn't focused enough. If I were to say Li Qingyun couldn't become an Immortal Emperor, I might believe it to some extent, but if you can't, I'll be the first to disagree. Brother Hu, your advancement is only a matter of time!"
Zhang Xiaohu was stunned. He hadn't expected to receive such high praise.
It was common knowledge that his aptitude was the lowest. As far as Zhang Xiaohu was concerned, being able to be mentioned in the same breath as the members of the Ice Sword Mercenary Group was already a great honor.
However, not only Liang Zifan but everyone else had never underestimated him. Sometimes, when they wanted to rest but saw Zhang Xiaohu cultivating, they would reflect on their own right to slack off.
Zhang Xiaohu's gaze immediately became resolute. Being recognized by Liang Zifan had re-established his confidence.
Liang Zifan threw an arm around Zhang Xiaohu's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Let's go! Brother Hu, let's spar. I think our strengths are the closest. We've been stuck in the Ascension Tower trying to perfect ourselves, but we can't get past it right now, can we?"
"Huh? We're going to fight?"
"Just a spar. I've been abused by the Nine Tribulations Thunder Emperor too much, and I want to find some confidence from you."
Zhang Xiaohu said with a serious expression, "I will go all out!"
"What the heck? Are you planning to hold back?"
"..."
Chu Yang had intended to come over to offer some words of encouragement to Zhang Xiaohu, as he heard that Zhang Xiaohu had been in the Ascension Tower for several days and was concerned about the young man's mental state.
However, after overhearing the conversation between Liang Zifan and Zhang Xiaohu, Chu Yang's figure appeared in the clouds. Looking at the backs of the two youths, he revealed a gratified smile.
"These young men are too worry-free. I can't even fulfill my role as a protective father."
What was holding Zhang Xiaohu back was merely a matter of confidence.
As long as he regained his confidence, everything would be fine. From the looks of it now, they were doing quite well.
...
Bai Nianchen was also seated opposite the Creation Great Emperor.
The Creation Great Emperor said, "My Dao is the Dao of Plunder, seizing the creation of heaven and earth. Using Primordial Violet Qi as the foundation of my Dao, and heaven and earth as the furnace. What about you? Have you decided on your path?"
Bai Nianchen fell into thought. He genuinely hadn't.
Moreover, he had learned so much, including Taoist sorcery, formations, immortal magic... and even divination.
Because he possessed the Innate Dao Body, making him naturally close to the Dao, he could learn anything with ease and possessed formidable comprehension.
Therefore, he couldn't pinpoint his own strengths and didn't know what he was truly best at.
This was perhaps the trouble of a genius.
The Creation Great Emperor saw his confusion and then said faintly, "For us of the Innate Dao Body lineage, due to our transcendent aptitude, we have extremely high potential in whatever we learn. So, choosing just one Dao would be a bit of a waste, wouldn't it?"
Bai Nianchen nodded. It was indeed the Innate Dao Body that understood the Innate Dao Body!
"Please enlighten your disciple!"
The Creation Great Emperor remained silent but manipulated a wisp of spiritual energy in his hand.
This wisp of spiritual energy swirled in his hand and gradually formed black and white colors. The black and white colors flowed, creating a Taiji. The Taiji then spun, gradually differentiating into the Four Symbols...
Bai Nianchen's eyes widened, and suddenly, he seemed to understand much.
"Wuji begets Taiji, Taiji begets the Two Principles, the Two Principles beget the Four Symbols, the Four Symbols beget the Eight Trigrams..."
The Creation Great Emperor also smiled and said, "In your Taoist terms, it is the Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things. Everything you have learned, tracing back to its origin, primarily stems from Yin and Yang. This is merely what I believe to be a suitable path for you, but the final choice is up to you."
"For example, your formation skills are quite good. In fact, entering the Dao through formations is also a great path..."
After a lengthy conversation, Bai Nianchen also had his enlightenment.
They were all influenced by Li Qingyun. Since Li Qingyun was about to ascend, and some of them hadn't yet decided what kind of Dao fruit to condense, they felt a sense of urgency.