Chapter 6572 Laws
As the spatial channel closed, Long Chen and the sweeping elder appeared above a mountain gate.
Over a dozen Zither Sect’s disciples were stationed there, yet not one reacted when Long Chen and the sweeping elder appeared. It was as if they could neither see the two of them nor sense any spatial fluctuations.
The sweeping elder looked at the grand formation in front of them and frowned slightly.
“Sweeping elder, what is it?” asked Long Chen worriedly.
The sweeping elder shook his head. Then, he and Long Chen descended from the sky and walked toward the gate.
The sweeping elder said, “As the dean of the academy, it’s only right for you to learn some of our secrets. The Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting Sects were actually once part of the High Firmament Academy.”
“What?!”
Long Chen almost tripped from sheer shock. How had he never heard of this?
“Back then,” the sweeping elder continued, “the High Firmament Academy oversaw four sects, eight mansions, twelve paradises, thirty-six blessed lands...”
As the two of them spoke, they passed right through the gate. Now, they were only a few feet away from the guards.
Without hesitation, the sweeping elder walked right by them and passed through the barrier. The formation simply didn’t exist before him.
They entered a world of ancient mountain peaks and sprawling pavilions, every stone exuding an ancient aura.
Walking side by side with Long Chen, the sweeping elder explained, “After the primal chaos war, other than the four sects, everything else was destroyed. Even the High Firmament Academy itself was reduced to a shell of its former self. The four sects gained independence afterward. There was nothing wrong with that. But later, three of them strayed from our teachings. Only the Calligraphy Sect remained faithful. The rest... betrayed their roots. A pity.”
Long Chen was shocked. In that case, the High Firmament Academy’s foundation was far greater than he had ever imagined, yet it had stayed so quiet that even Long Chen, its dean, had been kept in the dark.
Just then, quite a few figures flew right by them. They seemed to be patrolling. None of them were slacking, but they didn’t see Long Chen and the sweeping elder at all.
The sweeping elder continued, “Dean Long Chen, you have touched upon the Sovereign Lord realm. Now that you have reached this step, what is your current understanding of cultivation?”
After a brief pause, Long Chen answered, “This disciple’s nirvanic rebirth failed, but during it, I comprehended many things. Looking back, cultivation seems to be divided into three steps: Dao, law, and technique.”
“How so?”
“Daos are split into Yin and Yang, the laws are split into internal and external, and techniques can be split as higher or lower.”
“And where do you place yourself?”
“Disciple feels ashamed. After all these years, I am still fighting at the lowest level of technique.”
“Your power allows you to look down on all peers in your realm. Why be so humble?” asked the sweeping elder.
“This isn’t humility,” Long Chen said. “It’s a misconception I’ve only just realized. I always believed that the purpose of cultivation was to cultivate the Dao—using techniques to get closer to the Dao and using the Dao to unleash greater techniques. Following this sequence, it should be possible to achieve the Grand Dao.”
The sweeping elder nodded. “Most of the academy’s masters teach that principle. It is the guideline accumulated through countless years of wisdom. I believe it has always been accepted as the proper method. Is there something wrong with it?”
Long Chen explained, “It does sound correct. But how many of them actually achieve the Dao? Doesn’t the pitiful number imply that this principle may be flawed? Or at least unsuitable for most people?
“While using techniques to get closer to the Dao is not wrong, how does one go about that? How many steps are involved in this process? No one can say. As a result, I no longer believe this is the best way. Comprehending laws is the key to cultivating the Dao. Only by understanding the laws of the world can one reach the Dao. Without that, one sinks forever in the sea of bitterness.
“But for all these years, I’ve chased only stronger techniques. I never once sought laws. I am truly ashamed.”
The sweeping elder burst into laughter. “As expected of my High Firmament Academy’s youngest dean in history. Such insight is truly admirable.”
“Seweping elder, you overpraise me. This disciple does not dare to accept,” said Long Chen humbly.
“No,” the sweeping elder said. “Being able to reason this out at your current stage already makes you a genius. Just as you said, most experts in this world obsess over technique and ignore laws. To reach the Sovereign Lord realm is to touch upon the boundary of laws. But regrettably, even most Divine Sovereigns know nothing about laws. Controlling natural laws isn’t the same as understanding their essence. They see the shell, not the core.
“Since you have touched upon the boundary of laws, I meant to warn you about this, but you have already grasped it yourself. It looks like I was worried for nothing.”
Long Chen hastily said, “This foolish disciple still knows nothing about laws...”
“To know the difference is enough,” replied the sweeping elder.
“Within the thousand major worlds, is there only one path to master laws?” asked Long Chen.
Hearing this, the sweeping elder laughed delightedly. If Bai Letian and the others were to see this, they would definitely be shocked. They had never seen the sweeping elder laugh at anyone, let alone praise someone.
From that reaction alone, Long Chen felt he had touched upon something important, even if he could not yet put it into words. But at the very least, he knew he was on the right path, and that strengthened his resolve.
If he did one day come to understand what laws were, he wouldn’t have to fear even a Divine Sovereign.
As they advanced, they heard a thunderous rumbling sound up ahead. Heavenly lightning churned violently—someone was undergoing tribulation.
“No wonder there are so many people patrolling even inside the barrier!” Long Chen exclaimed, his eyes turning cold.
Within the raging lightning, Long Chen sensed a familiar aura. The person undergoing tribulation was Prince Chun Yang.
“Then this chat ends here. We should get to work,” said the sweeping elder.
With a single step, the sweeping elder brought Long Chen right outside the heavenly tribulation.
Countless experts of the Zither Sect gathered here, watching the heavenly tribulation nervously. There were lightning chains weaving together into a giant formation here.
At the center of the formation was Prince Chun Yang, who was sitting with his essence rune spinning on his forehead. He was using the power of the heavenly tribulation to refine his body and soul.
Just as the sweeping elder and Long Chen appeared, an old woman sitting in the air shouted, “Who’s there?!”
Long Chen was startled. Just from this shout, his soul shook, and a terrifying law power invaded his body.
That old crone rose and unleashed a palm strike in their direction.
In response, the sweeping elder only stared at her, not even moving.
However, the old crone was instantly blasted away by an invisible force, vomiting blood. Alarms shrieked throughout the Zither Sect, and formation after formation blazed to life.