The Way of The Dao

Ling Tian listened carefully to everything Linqi said.

Reflecting on his words, it was fair that he should have that Heavenly Seal that restricted his cultivation. He must have died at that time and according to the rumors and knowledge he had, he was probably going to be reborn again to learn about the Great Dao. The question of what the Dao was was always heard within him from time to time throughout his life before he fell to the lower plane, most likely by the same Dao who tested him all his life while asking him what the Dao was and could find an answer. But in spite of all he answered or all he did he never got an answer or another question.

His reluctance to die and not wanting to sadden and leave his family helpless was opposed and he rejected what fate had planned for him, eventually resulting in his fight against destiny in an unknown void, where eventually he would be entirely overwhelmed by the same Great Dao and later sent to a lower plane with the Heavenly Seal as punishment. After all this, he had never again heard that mysterious voice in his soul.

Understanding this, Ling Tian finally accepted the reality of what he had understood long ago; this Heavenly Seal was placed on him in exchange for continuing to live.

Also, it wasn't as if the Heavenly Seal was permanent; until now he had to keep looking for ways to remove the layers of the Seal itself in order to return to his former peak. He just didn't know what else to do besides learn things like what had happened to him the times a layer of the Heavenly Seal was removed.

Ling Tian hoped that there was another way to remove the layers of the seal and make his strength return faster, that way he would have a little more chance of surviving in case he encountered some misfortune in the future.

"Don't worry about everything else, things happen for a reason and have a purpose in everyone's life." Linqi spoke again, adding to what he had said earlier: "Always keep a clean mind in any situation and you can move forward."

Ling Tian nodded and joined his fists respectfully, "This Junior thanks the Senior for his wise counsels."

Linqi gently nodded and then added again with a surprised expression, "Not only has your power transcended beyond an ordinary Supreme, but you have also obtained a valuable resource that will be of great help to you when you need it most." He raised his hand and with his index finger touched Ling Tian's chest, exactly in the area of his heart.

Ling Tian felt a slight comforting sensation coming from Linqi's finger piercing his body and then he opened his eyes in surprise and asked with some emotion, "Senior, you can see that I have probably obtained the World Tree, but this Tree in my heart was born from a dead seed that I found long ago and what I know is that this Tree should be in an unknown place, shouldn't it?"

He was somewhat eager to know if this person could know something of the mysterious seed that became this legendary World Tree. Most likely, Linqi had seen his speed of recovery and associated it with the World Tree.

What else but the World Tree could cure him so quickly in a few seconds?

Not even a sacred miracle medicine could show such rapid effects.

"Yes and no." Linqi calmly replied before continuing: "I can assure you that what you have in your heart is the same World Tree, but it has not yet reached the true spiritual essence, as well as what you have in your Dantian and Sea of Consciousness."

Ling Tian took a deep breath when he understood that this being in front of him seemed to know all his life and all that had happened and been obtained. Furthermore, Linqi had said that his former power was more than an ordinary Supreme, but he thought it must be now because of the legendary and mysterious objects in his body.

What Linqi meant was that he had that mysterious Little World in his Dantian, as well as the mysterious and strange Vine at the bottom of his Sea of Consciousness.

The World Tree was born of this dead seed, while the Little World and the Vine came from the two of three spheres that he had obtained from this mountain of crystals in his early cultivation.

The third sphere contained a horrible and mysterious force probably even more horrible than the void itself, so that it still floated in the air of his Sea of Consciousness with nothing to touch it. Ling Tian was afraid that this sphere could be destroyed later because it was cracked to the point of breaking, so the fear that this horrible power would be unleashed in his sea of knowledge could destroy everything and turn him into an idiot.

Ling Tian wanted to ask more about what he did not know about the 'opportunity' to know about the Great Dao and the mysterious objects, but he immediately heard Linqi's voice.

"Fate has a purpose for every existential being, so now you just have to know what you need to know right now. In time, once you reach a point, you can know everything you want."

Linqi spoke calmly at all times while showing a calm and serene smile, bringing a sense of relief to Ling Tian as they spoke.

Ling Tian took a deep breath to calm down, he knew that everything Linqi had told him so far was the most he could say. Some things are better to know when he is ready, or at least qualified to know.

Ling Tian bowed and thanked him respectfully, "This Junior thanks the Senior for illuminating my path." He put his fists together again as a sign of respect and expressing his appreciation.

Ling Tian knew that, even if he was in his prime, this person in front of him could be even more powerful than he was; that feeling was clearly and firmly expressed by his intuition even though Linqi looked like a normal old man.

Linqi nodded calmly, expressing no concern.

"Senior, if I may ask, you have mentioned that you have been guarding this place for a long time, does that have anything to do with that mysterious altar?"

Ling Tian decided to change the subject and then remembered what Linqi had said, and therefore connected it with the mysterious altar that even vaguely seemed to be calling him. That feeling was so weak and almost imperceptible that if he didn't pay attention to it he would go unnoticed.

"Right." Linqi nodded as he looked down the altar and said, "I've been guarding this place for as long as I can remember, waiting for the longed-for day when the first ancestors of my race could awaken or at least be reborn again."

Ling Tian narrowed his eyes to the altar, looking precisely at the two spheres that lay in the center.

Ancestors? Race? Rebirth?

Ling Tian thought to himself as he continued to observe the mysterious altar.

Linqi had said that he had been in this place for a long time, so he might have forgotten what he had even done before he was in this place.

"Is that something to do with the animal race?" Ling Tian asked after thinking of several possibilities.

Those patterns of all the animals engraved on the pillars, as well as the wild feeling and breath of nature that the altar gave off, led him to think that this altar was most likely related to the animal race. If there were records in the Immortal World about the animal race, then this altar should be related to the animal race. It was most likely a legacy.

Even Ling Tian was thinking that Linqi might belong to the animal race.

Linqi nodded once more before raising his hand and pointing to the two spheres on the altar: "These two spheres are handed down from our generations for as long as we can remember, passing from generation to generation as we stand guard at this place until we can witness the rebirth and glory of our race."