Dao.

—

Playing with his sweetheart for a moment, which made the lady laugh uncontrollably, Tian Xing then went back to drawing the inspiration that people in these stages of the world can enlighten upon. After drawing his own version of the Bagua Diagram, which resembled the Heavenly Dao as seen in one of his variants who was himself a Dao Ancestor, Tian Xing couldn't help but sigh in amazement at how much his law of predetermination had improved.

He particularly noted that in many of his variant worlds, where there is no Qi or Mana energy simplified for easier absorption, the people who consider themselves learned possess enlightenment several stages higher than his own. This meant that these variants of his, which lack any magical talents whatsoever, are more than capable of becoming Dao Ancestors, as they have extensive knowledge about creating the universe without the aid of cultivation to help them see clearly how it works.

This also meant that, in terms of enlightenment, he—who has cultivation of the Nameless Eternal, or in other words, a level with septillion digit marks—is not special at all in those worlds that lack magical abilities and have not yet entered the age of interstellar travel. In such worlds, many of his variants can grasp the meaning of heaven and earth with just their imagination and a pen, using their observations of life to understand how the world works. Even Richard, the lowest among many of these learned individuals, is nearly catching up to his variants who call themselves Dao Ancestors in terms of cultivation in just a year's time.

Thinking about the variants, Tian Xing couldn't help but look at himself. Noticing that the rate of fusion between the many different variants was slowing down, he raised an eyebrow. Calculating with his fingers, he soon found the answer. It was not because his race's abilities had suddenly worsened, making it impossible to fuse billions of people like in the first five minutes after the Bagua Diagram began running. No, it was because the Dao of this world had already finished creating the world for everyone to enjoy. This meant that, for now, everyone could start to cultivate and experience life to the fullest, as the creation was complete and waiting for the next phase.

"Master, it seems that the Dao has already finished her creation."

Turning toward his sweetheart, Tian Xing nodded. "Yes, Ying Yue, you are right—the Dao is already finished. And because there are no Ancient Sages to develop this world and address its problems, as its residents, we must do our best to elevate the ceiling. Otherwise, we risk this universe descending into total destruction."

Thinking about the ceiling and how the Dao was able to raise it on her own just a moment ago, Ying Yue asked, "But, Master, isn't the Dao capable of increasing the ceiling on her own without our help? If the Dao is all-powerful and all-knowing, why doesn't she just create a world that automatically expands toward the limitless? Why then does she need our inspiration and breakthroughs to keep the world running?"

Shaking his head, as it seemed his sweetheart still didn't understand despite all this time, Tian Xing explained as best he could, "Sweetheart, I might not know what infinity is thinking or what it even is, since I don't want to become just an idea. But from my understanding, it involves a series of complicated events that require everyone's participation to keep it running. Do you remember one of your variants of life where you took the name Mei Li?"

Remembering Mei Li's life, she nodded and replied, "Yes, Master, I remember. I recall being called the Mother of All Things and creating many mortal worlds. In that mortal world, you rose higher and higher, even surpassing me in terms of cultivation, despite the fact that I was created first by the Dao. Is it because you, Master, are the Dao itself, which allows you to achieve enlightenment surpassing mine? Is that why you could rise so quickly and catch up to me?"

Nodding his head and then shaking it afterward, unable to completely understand infinity, Tian Xing took a moment of silence before explaining the best he could about what the Dao is. "In a sense, yes, I am the Dao. And not only that, in a sense, you are also the Dao. Everyone is the Dao, because, in another sense, all sentient beings participate in the creation of the Dao."

Seeing her completely confused and unable to understand, just like himself, Tian Xing decided to explain his perspective on the Dao. "Remember when your many variants had the cultivation to create a universe inside your dantian?"

Seeing her nod, he continued, "Do you also remember that, as cultivators of that realm, we were unable to truly know what was happening in every speck of that universe, including the complex lives of its inhabitants?"

Raising her eyebrows, Ying Yue interjected, "But Master, I truly knew what was going on. I was able to know every fate, every destiny, every karma of my creations."

Shaking his head, Tian Xing challenged, "Is that so?"

Suddenly feeling unsure, despite her previous knowledge, she replied, "I… I don't know, Master. Ying Yue has no idea. Is controlling my creations at that time truly an illusion as well?"

Rubbing his chin, Tian Xing answered, "In a sense, yes. But also in another sense, no."

Seeing her become even more confused, just like himself, Tian Xing continued to express what was on his mind. "If I were to put it into words, regarding how the Dao is created: When we focus on our universe inside our dantian, we are, in a sense, the Dao. We know every fate and can interweave that fate according to our will. However, when we do not focus on it, we are not, in a sense, the Dao. Master believes that the universe then branches into other creations on its own somewhere in infinity, which will be taken over by different sentient beings who focus on that particular world, making it their own Dao."

Seeing Ying Yue suddenly have an inkling of an idea, even though it was still confusing, Tian Xing concluded, since he too was unsure of what it was, "Master like what this man name Tao Te Ching says about understanding the Dao, so I'll quote him to make it easier for Ying Yue to understand: 'The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.' Because it cannot be told, it is the eternal Dao. And because it cannot be named, it is also the eternal name. So, it is both yes and no, we are the Dao and also not the Dao at the same time."

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