Return to the Truth

Tianyanshu, the last technique Liuyun used in his lifetime, was also the last technique he taught Xiao Wan'er. This technique was created by the second-generation abbot of Biyun Temple and has been passed down only through successive abbots. It is currently the most powerful divination technique in the cultivation world.

As long as the caster's soul realm is at or above the Entry Dao Realm, they can activate this technique regardless of their own state. Therefore, even though Xiao Wan'er's cultivation was sealed, she still entered the state of casting the technique. However, this technique also has a problem: the caster cannot freely control the content of their divination. The caster can only use this technique to divine the most pressing matters.

Therefore, this technique is usually used when the practitioner is in desperate situation or is about to pass away.

After Liuyun taught Xiao Wan'er this technique, he also said: "If you feel desperate, you can try to use this technique."

At this time, Xiao Wan'er, who could no longer find any further way to break the deadlock, finally used this technique. As for what she would see after the technique was performed, she herself was not sure.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself standing in nothingness.

She didn't actually see any images - this was something she had never thought of before the operation.

But her consciousness was still in this chaotic space and she couldn't get out. Xiao Wan'er had to randomly choose a direction and move forward.

After walking in silence for an unknown amount of time, she saw a figure.

He was an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in plain linen clothes, sitting on a huge rock, holding a fishing rod, the hook deep in the non-existent water, fishing for non-existent fish.

A weirdo—this was Xiao Wan'er's first impression when she saw him.

The old man also sensed Xiao Wan'er's presence, but his eyes were still focused on the fishing rod.

"Come, sit down." The stone was very big, and there was more than one empty seat next to the old man. He stretched out a hand, patted the empty seat, and asked Xiao Wan'er to sit down.

Xiao Wan'er walked over. She was no stranger to this old man; his face was among the portraits of the abbots of the Biyun Temple that hung in the main hall of the Biyun Temple, and he was ranked quite high up, second in order.

"I am Xiao Wan'er, a junior, nice to meet you, senior." Xiao Wan'er was a little surprised, but still bowed first.

"Surprised?" The old man easily sensed Xiao Wan'er's thoughts. "I'm also surprised that you're here. If you have no doubts, why bother using this Tian Yan technique?"

Xiao Wan'er was very surprised.

"How can there be no doubt in your heart? I am using this technique precisely to seek a way out of this difficult situation."

"Because you already know what the future will hold," the second-generation abbot's words struck Xiao Wan'er like a hammer. "Divination is the process of deducing the various possibilities of the future. Since all possibilities converge into one, there's no need for deduction."

This was a theory Xiao Wan'er had never heard of.

"The current cultivation world is in such decline!" Seeing Xiao Wan'er's bewildered look, the second-generation abbot guessed the whole story.

But with Xiao Wan'er's understanding, since the words had already been said to this point, there was no need for further explanation, and she gradually figured it out on her own.

"If that's the case, why can't I remove this spell?"

The second-generation abbot's beard trembled without a breeze. "You girl, you're obviously very smart, why are you being so stupid here? You haven't even successfully cast the spell, how can you possibly break it? You are now within the abbot's order."

Ever since the Supreme Emperor issued an order to return the position of abbot to Xiao Wan'er before abdicating, the abbot's order also returned to her hands. However, she never imagined that one day her consciousness would be able to enter the abbot's order.

"Senior, do you know why I am here?"

"Of course I dragged you in!" The second-generation abbot shook the fishing rod violently. "How else could you have gotten in on your own? The abbot nearly lost his soul because of a failed spell due to misusing magic. Our Biyun Temple is truly declining with each generation!"

Xiao Wan'er touched her nose awkwardly. This senior looked like he would pick up the fishing rod and hit her at any moment.

"Then... can the junior go out?"

The second-generation abbot was clearly unhappy: "Of course you can. After you get out, your soul will completely dissipate and nourish the world."

Xiao Wan'er couldn't help but complain in her heart, so this is still not allowed.

But she was anxious to return.

"Why, are you in a hurry to go back?" The second-generation abbot once again saw what she was thinking and asked before she asked for help.

"Senior, I used the Tianyan technique because I was desperate. If I can't get back in time, the situation will be even worse. Could you please help me?"

"How could it be worse?" The Second-Generation Abbot sneered, stroking his beard. "Was it your fellow apprentice killed by the Emperor? Or was it the little girl with you who was captured and executed? It couldn't be your fellow apprentice, Princess Shang, right? Don't you already know all this?"

"You want to go back and resolve the crisis soon?" The second-generation abbot, a veteran versed in divination, perfectly anticipated Xiao Wan'er's every word and blocked her words before she could utter them. "If you could resolve the situation, why would your spell fail? Besides, having already made the decision that day, haven't you considered the consequences today?"

Xiao Wan'er sat dejectedly on the boulder.

"Even if you knew, how could you just watch all this happen?"

"Why not? Haven't I also watched helplessly as this generation of cultivators became worse and worse in this abbot's order?"

Xiao Wan'er looked up.

"Senior, have you always been in this abbot's order?"

She was puzzled. Why did the consciousness of a previous abbot who had long since passed away in the history of Biyun Temple still remain in this abbot's order?

"Of course," the second-generation abbot put away his fishing rod and casually threw it on the boulder. "I watched Liuyun lead all his disciples into Fengming Guard, and then I watched you take the abbot's order and realize everything I predicted."

Xiao Wan'er was astonished. To be able to divine such distant events so clearly, what level of cultivation must this second-generation abbot possess? Even then, he hadn't yet reached the Return to Truth realm. How difficult must that realm be to attain?

"Who said I haven't reached the state of returning to the true self? Biyun Temple?" the second-generation abbot complained. "Even if I did, what would it matter? Didn't the generations that followed me continue to develop step by step according to the worst-case scenario I predicted?"

These words made Xiao Wan'er very embarrassed.

"Senior, Biyun Temple has always been a leading sect in the cultivation world in terms of combat power."

"That's because everyone is getting worse!" The second-generation abbot was furious when he mentioned this. "I clearly calculated so many possibilities in the beginning, so how could you all work together to get to this point? The court openly uses forbidden techniques, sects are forced to abandon their disciples under court pressure, and even monks directly become the court's lackeys. How could you degenerate like this? Now, in a few decades, when the country is in chaos, you monks will not be able to escape."

As one of the Fallen, Xiao Wan'er was embarrassed and speechless.

Fortunately, the second-generation abbot had said enough and changed the subject.

"Girl, do you regret your choice?"

"No regrets." Xiao Wan'er shook her head firmly.

"If you had the chance to do it again, would you try other possibilities? You can use divination here as you wish."

Xiao Wan'er really did some divination, and the result was still the same as the reality.

“No,” she replied, “I’ve done the best I could, given the path I’ve chosen.”

"Then what are you still hesitating about?" The second-generation abbot slammed the stone and shouted, "Since you believe you have no faults and no regrets, why can't you face the impending future calmly?"

Why? Xiao Wan'er thought carefully and finally attributed it to unwillingness.

"But why? Why is our struggle insignificant in the face of the world's established prejudices? Why, even though everyone knows Li Longji will destroy everything, so many people still follow him without hesitation? Why am I, the most powerful cultivator in the world, still powerless to do anything about these things? What is the purpose of our pursuit of the Tao and cultivation?"

A skinny and spotted hand touched the top of Xiao Wan'er's head.

"It's nothing. Even I, a powerful being in the Return to Truth Realm, can only watch this happen. Sometimes, even people have to accept their own failures. If this is God's will, how can human power resist it?"

Should I accept it? Xiao Wan'er fell into deep thought. She had indeed done everything she could and had no regrets. So, was it really time to accept her fate? After all, when she was studying divination, her master had said that destiny could not be changed. Perhaps this situation was simply the will of fate.

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. You can't force something that isn't destined for you. The resentment in her heart gradually faded, and her consciousness gradually blurred. The second-generation abbot seemed to give her a strange smile.

No! She suddenly woke up.

"Why should I accept my fate just because it's fate? If I had followed fate, I would have died of illness. What's the point of practicing Taoism?"

"Oh? You've noticed something's wrong?" The second-generation abbot no longer had the slightest trace of his senior demeanor. "But so what? The outcome is set. Can you change it by refusing to accept your fate?"

"I really can't change it. But who said that if you don't accept your fate, you have to change the situation?" Xiao Wan'er pointed out the flaw in the other party's logic. "On the contrary, you, who knows what, get out of here."

The so-called second-generation abbot could no longer maintain his form and transformed into a pool of black water, rushing towards Xiao Wan'er. However, Xiao Wan'er remained motionless within the black water. Eventually, it slowly dissipated.

Xiao Wan'er had already remembered everything. It wasn't that the spell had failed, but rather that after performing the Tianyan technique, she realized that no matter which possibility she followed, chaos was inevitable. Thinking that her master's last wish could not be fulfilled, and her own situation was a mess, she fell into inner demons.

Now that her inner demons had dissipated, she looked at the space in front of her where only the huge rock remained. She sat cross-legged on it and entered into a state of meditation.

After an unknown amount of time, she opened her eyes and found that the space had shattered into pieces.

Inside the guest house, Xiao Wan'er's restraints had been broken without anyone noticing. Without the overwhelming presence, when she opened her eyes again, all the aura she once possessed had been withdrawn. At first glance, she looked like an ordinary person, save for her eyes, which were exceptionally bright.

This is the realm of returning to truth.

"How did you get into Taoism?" Xiao Wan'er had been asked this question more than once, and she herself was also confused.

Now she finally knew the answer: she entered the Tao with her heart.