Chapter 525: Mutuo (I)
The Eastern Sea spanned thousands of li, with jagged rocks jutting out across its vast expanse. Waves surged endlessly from the boundless east, one after another, crashing upon each other. The islands scattered across the horizon were linked, their landscapes vastly different from those inland. The brilliant morning sun began to rise from the edge of the sky, casting rays of light in all directions.
It was Li Qinghong's first time venturing overseas, and she was deeply captivated by the sight. Unable to hold herself back, she asked, "Is this the end of the world… where immortals reside?"
Kong Yu stroked his beard with a smile and replied, "If you travel eastward all the way to the edge of the Eastern Sea, you will reach the Endless Void Abyss. There, the seawater reverses and falls into the abyss, descending slower and slower until it becomes vapor, rising back up and returning to the sea."
Taking a moment to recount the past, Kong Yu continued, "There is no air, no spiritual qi, nor the great void. That place is called Outer Heavens. In ancient times, cultivators and members of the demon race embarked on journeys to the Outer Heavens from the four seas, and none have ever returned."
Li Yuanjiao nodded. He had heard about this from Li Xizhi before and now asked, "If that is the case... why would anyone go there?"
Kong Yu sighed with a touch of sentiment. "When a cultivator attains the Golden Core Realm, they gain Fruition Attainment and can replace heaven's will with their own. Beyond that is the Dao Embryo, but what lies beyond the Dao Embryo? There is no path left to take...
"It is said that in the past, it was impossible to leave. The four seas were bound by a heavenly barrier. But during the immortal-devil war at Pingming Ford, the heavens lowered by three zhang, and the earth rose by nine chi. Since then, the four seas became unbound, and the practice of cultivation became unrestricted. It is said that those with Dao Embryos sense that the true path lies in the Outer Heavens, so they journey there."
Li Yuanjiao silently nodded, while Kongheng, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "So that is how the immortal sects view it… Our Buddhist sect holds a different perspective."
He had an awkward look on his face and apologized first for what he was about to say. "According to our scriptures, the battle at Pingming Ford is referred to as the Karmic Filth of Past Lives, marking the division between the previous and future incarnations of the Buddha. In the past, immortals and their laws ruled the world, with the Xia people reigning supreme. In the future life, the rise of Buddhism followed, as the Hu and Jie people replaced the Xia."[1]