What is the Dao?
At this moment, Lin Shiming stood in front of the Qinglian Pool, looking around blankly.
By his side, Lin Shitao was sobbing uncontrollably.
After all, she was still that timid little girl.
Having lost her kin, she finally broke down in tears.
Second Elder Lin Yuqi was respected by everyone in the Lin Family Clan, even those alchemy apprentices who were harshly mentored by him were now, dressed in the robes of alchemists, sending off the Second Elder one by one on Fangmu Mountain.
At this moment, everyone was sincere.
And in the distance, the entrance to the cave dwelling burst open.
A youth in green robes, looking as if his soul had left his body, walked out.
"Grandfather!"
A cry echoed, lingering for a long time around Fangmu Mountain.
The Great Dao is merciless, but people have emotions!
The youth in green robes finally reached the pavilion by the Qinglian Pool.
He knelt down with a thunderous thud!
At this moment, he seemed to realize he had made a mistake.
He wanted to walk the Immortal Path, to tread the strongest path of Immortal Cultivation, but at this moment, he hesitated, regretting his choice.
On the Immortal Path, he didn't even get to see his grandfather for one last time.
He had always felt that the Family lacked an absolute powerhouse, whereas his grandfather thought the Family lacked a Third Rank Alchemist, one who could concoct Foundation Establishment Pills.
"Grandfather, I know you wanted Shijie to become an alchemist, but Shijie really has no time, Shijie's goal in this life is to reach Foundation Establishment by forty, mid-phase of Foundation Establishment by one hundred, Purple Mansion by one hundred fifty, Golden Core by three hundred. There's truly no spare time..."
Lin Shijie clenched his fists, trying to grasp the lingering essence in the air, only to find he couldn't hold on to it.
"Those who hear about the Dao, exist with the Great Dao!"
"What is there to grieve for, and to lament about? We cultivators, why not tread towards the end of the Immortal Path, to witness the transformation of Heaven and Earth, the cycle of life and death?" Lin Xianzhi came out from the cave dwelling, and with a few words, he awakened the crowd.
Lin Shijie also looked towards Lin Xianzhi.
After a long time, he nodded fiercely.
"Continue to adhere to the Dao in your heart!" Lin Xianzhi said and then turned around.
Lin Shiming also left to prepare for the commemoration ceremony, the respect due to a clan elder.
He too needed to give Lin Shijie some time alone.
At this moment, Lin Shiming couldn't help but feel deep sorrow, yet a sudden epiphany as well.
At this moment, he found that the Great Dao Heart within him had become more resolute.
He did not want to turn into a fistful of yellow soil or a wisp of dust after a hundred years.
Lin Shiming murmured with joy, but he did not immediately make a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.
Instead, he went to sleep beside the bed, deeply fatigued from three years of honing spiritual energy. Even though his Divine Sense had advanced by leaps and bounds, he still needed a thorough and complete rest.
He had always believed that in cultivation, a balance between tension and relaxation was best.
The next day at dawn, Lin Shiming awoke from sleep and once again started the circulation of the Purple Wood Heart Sutra.
Only after going through two full Grand Circulations and reaching a critical point with his essence, energy, and spirit, did he finally take a deep breath.
He took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and swallowed it.
As Lin Shiming controlled the spiritual energy to continue compressing it into True Yuan...
He seemed to fall into his memories, from before his transmigration to after, every single detail reflected back at him like a mirror.
One scene shattered, transitioning into the next.
In his youth, he topped the province in the college entrance examination, causing jubilation in his family as relatives came to celebrate in droves.
A coolness swept through his mind, and he sighed; he had never taken the college entrance examination. It was a regret of his, a fleeting dream within a dream.
The scene shattered!
In his prime, he was a successful entrepreneur, covered by various media outlets; his name was celebrated far and wide!
A coolness swept through his mind, and in silence, he reflected on his life of coding, dry and dull. If he had another life, he would certainly start a business.
The scene shattered!
After his transmigration, he became the Li Family's Heavenly Spirit Root, envied by countless cultivators and doted on by numerous elders.
Foundation Establishment protected his path, Purple Mansion imparted its teachings to him, and forming a Golden Core was within sight!
This time, no coolness was needed; he was furious, vowing that one day, he would utterly destroy the Li Family!
...
Scenes shattered one after another, as Lin Shiming experienced joy and sorrow, rage and grief.
When he awoke, most of his spiritual energy had already transformed into True Yuan.
Lin Shiming suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.
He hadn't anticipated that the Illusionary Trial would coincide with the True Yuan Trial.
No wonder that if one's cultivation of spiritual energy was not up to standard and they attempted to forcibly break through to Foundation Establishment without the Foundation Establishment Pill, they would only encounter their own demise.
Because in the Illusionary Trial, one simply cannot stop.
When True Yuan bursts through the meridians, all you are left with is regret.
Lin Shiming let out a low shout, continuing to accelerate the transformation into True Yuan.
But this process was exceedingly prolonged; consider that a normal Qi Cultivator breaking through to Foundation Establishment would need at least half a year, if not one to two years!
And remember, Lin Shiming not only had his own magical power but also the Mu Xin.
Furthermore, according to the Secret Technique, Lin Shiming's Mu Xin would also transform into a Spirit Platform during his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, meaning Lin Shiming would possess Twin Spirit Platforms.