A majestic voice rang out.
"Welcome to the Land of Inheritance!"
Gu Yuan's vision shifted rapidly. Before him appeared a forest of steles of various shapes.
"Welcome, junior of the human race," the majestic voice sounded again.
"This is the Land of Inheritance of the Central Prefecture. I am its guardian. You may call me Zhou!"
"Junior of the human race, the place where you will choose your inheritance this time is directly in front of you. Friendly reminder, follow your heart's feelings."
"The one that resonates most strongly is likely the inheritance you can accept."
"Many thanks for your guidance, senior." Gu Yuan clasped his hands into fists.
He then looked at the dense steles before him. They were all a hazy gray, lacking any divine aura. Was this a top-tier Land of Inheritance? Gu Yuan was somewhat incredulous, but since he had come, he would certainly choose carefully.
Following Zhou's instructions, Gu Yuan closed his eyes and took a step forward, guided by a subtle feeling.
Boom!
With a single step, heaven and earth transformed.
An ancient deity, shaking heaven and earth, tore apart a thousand-meter beast, roaring to the heavens.
A white long sword, surrounded by golden sword energy, split into a hundred, a hundred into a thousand, finally becoming a river of sword energy that blotted out the sky, descending upon an unknown land and reducing it to dust.
A god-man stood tall, surrounded by one hundred and eight objects resembling planets, emanating infinite gravity. He walked through waves of fierce beasts, causing them to explode into mist.
A green lotus quietly bloomed in the void, annihilating a large number of demons.
...
Gu Yuan was so excited he didn't know how to express himself. When he was absorbing the fate [Archery (White)] from Wang Qifeng, he had seen the Sword God Qin Wudao make a move. Gu Yuan thought that was the pinnacle of Tianxia. Unexpectedly, it was not the pinnacle of the human race. The strength of these humans who left top-tier inheritances had ascended to a god-like or demon-like realm.
Then Gu Yuan opened his eyes and looked at the stele forest before him. It was still as simple and unadorned as before.
Closing his eyes again, all the shocking scenes disappeared. Only a starlight-like luminescence appeared in the darkness.
Gu Yuan understood and stepped towards the direction of the starlight.
He continued to walk in the dark world, not rushing. After constant progress, he arrived before the starlight and, guided by inspiration, opened his eyes.
Before him was a stele resembling a sphere, with some mysterious patterns on its surface, forming a swirling pattern.
Gu Yuan turned his head and found that he had reached the deepest part of the Land of Inheritance. The steles, which were originally clearly visible, were gradually being covered by enlightenment.
Had he made his choice? Gu Yuan wondered.
Turning around, he gently placed his palm on it. A gray light flashed, quickly enveloping Gu Yuan's body, and he instantly vanished from the spot.
"I didn't expect it to be the inheritance of Taichu. What a fortunate junior," Zhou's voice echoed in the inheritance space.
Gu Yuan, still enveloped by the gray light and not yet reacting, was once again speechless at the sight before him.
He was now in a vast, gray, foggy universe. The entire space was empty, containing only endless gray mist and endless void.
Hum!
A humming sound arose. Gu Yuan watched in shock as countless gray mist began to churn like ocean waves.
A grand Dao sound resounded:
"Taichu, it has a name but no substance. Although it changes, it has qi but not form. This is called Taichu. Taichu is the beginning of qi, but it has not yet taken form."
This is Taichu!?
Gu Yuan's eyes widened. Oh my, if this is true, it's incredibly powerful. After all, Taichu is one of the Five Primal States.
Taiyi, the state of the boundless void.
Taichu, formless and shapeless, with only primordial qi, a state more primordial than chaos.
Taishi, with form but no substance, invisible to the senses, the primordial cosmic state before the creation of heaven and earth.
Taisu, the primordial material cosmic state.
Taiji, the state before the differentiation of yin and yang.
These five parts constitute the continuous evolutionary process of the universe.
Gu Yuan watched as the boundless gray mist before him slowly condensed and compressed, forming a gray sphere.
What is this? Gu Yuan's mind moved, and his figure instantly floated before the gray sphere.
He extended his finger and gently touched the surface of the gray sphere. The continuously rotating gray mist on the surface became still like the surface of water, and with a gentle nudge, it transformed into rippling waves that spread outwards.
Before Gu Yuan could observe further, several tentacles made of gray mist directly bound his limbs. Gu Yuan was greatly alarmed and instinctively tried to break free, but he was immediately pulled into the gray sphere.
Only a muffled "What the f*ck!" echoed in the space.
A river spanning myriad worlds, encircling the heavens, surged forward. In its immeasurably wide expanse, creatures resembling golden carp continuously leaped high from the river's surface. Some seemed to be erased by something, vanishing instantly. Some carp were luckier, being caught by the mist drifting above the river. The originally ethereal bodies of these fish underwent indescribable changes.
Gu Yuan's consciousness seemed to be enveloped by an unknown force. After traversing endless years, he arrived at the beginning of the universe, a void of nothingness, where nothing existed, not even direction, only endless darkness.
He recalled the introductions to the Five Primal States:
Taiyi, yin and yang have not yet changed. Vast and empty, without light or image, without form or name. Silent and solitary, this is Taiyi. Taiyi is the beginning of spirit, but qi has not yet appeared.
Taichu, it has a name but no substance. Although it changes, it has qi but not form. This is called Taichu. Taichu is the beginning of qi, but it has not yet taken form.
Taishi, yin and yang mingle and become one. From one, form arises. Although there is form, there is no substance. This is called Taishi. Taishi is the beginning of form, but there is no substance.
Taisu, Taishi transforms and forms. It has form but substance, but it has not yet formed a body. This is called Taisu. Taisu is the beginning of substance, but it has not yet formed a body.
Taiji, Taisu is complete, yin and yang combine, the five elements are present, and all things are born. Therefore, Taiji is divided, the light and clear become heaven, the heavy and turbid become earth, and the Great Dao is revealed.
In simple terms, these are the five stages of cosmic development.
Gu Yuan pondered the scene before him, and suddenly, the empty universe began to undergo wondrous changes.
What is this?
Gu Yuan watched as it gradually filled the entire universe, as if appearing out of nowhere.
This is the Primordial Qi! Gu Yuan knew what had brought him here – it was the Primordial Qi generated at the time of Taichu's formation.
A voice suddenly sounded in his mind, echoing like a great bell.
"Chu," meaning beginning. The primordial qi began to emerge, called Taichu, referring to its vastness and ability to be the origin and foundation of all things...
Gu Yuan unconsciously sank into it. His divine soul transformed into the appearance of a chaotic demon ape, and the Dao 운 Heavenly Diagram suspended above his spiritual platform also emitted a faint golden light.
His entire being entered a state of absolute stability.
The surrounding Primordial Qi began to churn, and then it surged towards Gu Yuan's body!