I Fabricated the Techniques, but my disciple really mastered them?

"Everything ultimately depends on talent and perception."

Ao Yuxue's eyes expressed joy as she nodded and said, "Thank you, senior, I understand now."

Li Xuan had thought that the young girl would take the opportunity to ask him to teach her the Subduing Dragon Palm's cultivation methods. However, she did not do so, but timidly retreated behind Xu Yan.

"Interesting!"

Li Xuan was amused. Clearly, the girl had become much shrewder after experiencing a vicious beating once.

Looking at her expression, she probably wanted to ask Xu Yan for guidance on the cultivation methods of Subduing Dragon Palm. Whether Xu Yan would teach her or not was something Li Xuan would not interfere with.

The disciple had already grown strong, and being no longer a newcomer in martial arts, it was time for independence; as a mentor, Li Xuan would not interfere.

Everyone looked at Ao Yuxue with odd expressions, for the question she asked exceeded everyone's expectations.

Old Man Xiao wore a strange expression. Could this young girl be considering becoming the chief of the True Dragon Clan?

Could it be that she intended to force her grandfather, Ao Lie, to abdicate?

As this was a matter internal to the True Dragon Clan, Old Man Xiao naturally cared little for it.

He excitedly and respectfully bowed, saying, "Taoist Ancestor, junior has a doubt in the martial arts and deeply hopes for your guidance!"

Li Xuan nodded and said, "Speak freely!"

As for what Old Man Xiao intended to inquire, Li Xuan had already made a guess.

Old Man Xiao was a Realm Master with formidable strength, but he was not a Minor Heaven and Earth Master, and his power had also peaked.

A Minor Heaven and Earth Master is achieved through the creation granted by the purple light.

Old Man Xiao, having cultivated to this point, had theoretically reached his limit, unless, like the early Taicang and others, he obtained creation from the purple light which could push him further, to become a Master of Domain.

However, it seemed that there was only one such strand of purple light, having appeared just once.

In the long lives of Taicang and his peers, they had experienced this only once, seeing that singular strand of purple light.

"Senior, in my cultivation up to now, I see no path ahead. Not just me, other Realm Masters feel the same. To break through these bonds, to reach the state that Taicang teacher and the others achieved, seems impossible now.

"The seven people of Taicang, in the Chaotic Imperishable Land, got the purple light which started heaven and earth, becoming Masters of Domain.

"If this junior wants to advance further, is it only possible by finding that mysterious purple light?"

Old Man Xiao asked respectfully.

The rest listened silently; this was a secret of the cosmos, touching upon the mysteries of the existence of this world.

Xu Yan, hearing Old Man Xiao's question, thought deeply, somewhat understanding the fundamental difference between the martial arts taught by his master and the Taicang Domain Martial Arts.

Old Man Xiao, having cultivated to his current state, found it difficult to advance further; to put it accurately, there was no road ahead!

"The master repeatedly emphasized, 'Martial Arts Endless Realm, since it's endless, how can there be no path ahead?' Therefore, Taicang Martial Arts is flawed, and when I previously called it a pseudo-martial art, it wasn't entirely unreasonable.

"According to Old Man Xiao, opening heaven and earth by obtaining the purple light—he has no purple light, thus his cultivation stagnated, and he sees no path ahead.

"But the martial arts my master has passed on to me are without such restrictions, the path ahead always exists. It all depends on talent and effort, one can only continue moving forward."

Xu Yan thought of the Domain Realm, embodying heaven and earth; isn't that what it means to create heaven and earth?

With this thought, Xu Yan knew that once he broke through to the Domain Realm, he would completely leave the Taicang Martial Arts behind, which is why even a minor advancement within the Domain Realm brings such tremendous increase in strength.

The full accomplishment of the Domain Realm is already comparable to the Supreme Sovereign Realm of Taicang Martial Arts.

From the Domain Realm onward, the two paths became incomparable. While the path of Taicang Martial Arts was nearing its end, the journey of the Domain Realm was just the true beginning of the martial arts path.

After all, only the Establishing Dao Realm qualifies one to establish and pass on the Dao, which is the real enlightenment in martial arts!

Xu Yan thought of this, feeling secretly thrilled. He was not far from the Domain Realm, and he was bound to break through within three to five years. Once he achieved the Domain Realm, he would truly be firmly established on the path of martial arts.

Li Xuan's aura of the Taoist Ancestor shimmered faintly around him, as if the great Dao was looming, his voice calm yet echoing like the sound of the great Dao.

Old Man Xiao's question was something Li Xuan had anticipated.

"The road of Taicang, explored from chaos and blessed by the purple light, thus opened the heaven and earth. You, the successors, all view Taicang as the peak, so how can you surpass Taicang?"

"Martial Arts Endless Realm, how could the path ahead be cut off?"

"You think the path ahead is cut off merely because you lack talent and insight, and thus you are confused."

"Of course, that's not the key point. The key point is that the Taicang Martial Arts did not continue, and naturally, you could see no path ahead."

Old Man Xiao looked desolate; he understood what the Taoist Ancestor meant. Since Taicang had died, the Taicang Martial Arts had not continued to advance, and thus, they, these people, naturally could not break through their shackles.

Taicang was the peak of this Martial Arts, and those who came after would have to surpass that peak unless their talent and intellect exceeded Taicang.

But, who could do that?

Li Xuan continued, "Purple light is not the only one, the Master of Domain is not the only way to advance. The Master of Domain, although quite powerful, is also bound by the domain."

"To have oneself as the domain, the heart as the domain, the self as the domain, one can transcend the worldly domain and become independent, unbounded..."

Li Xuan spoke mystically, then added, "Of course, for you, walking this path is almost impossible now, as your foundations are already set, deeply influenced by Taicang."

"However, it is not impossible to continue breaking through, not impossible to find a path ahead!"

Upon hearing this, Old Man Xiao became extremely excited and said reverently, "Please, Taoist Ancestor, enlighten me!"

Li Xuan, twirling the Jade Ruyi in his hand, looked up at the firmament, "Be it the domain or the Land of Chaotic Imperishable, all things in the world follow the Great Dao, and the domain should have the Heavenly Dao to be complete. A domain without Establishing Dao is ultimately rootless, ultimately frail and unsupported, ultimately like a bubble."

"Your path ahead lies in comprehending the Way of Domain, in cultivating the Heavenly Dao!"

Old Man Xiao was struck in his heart, yet confused again. Comprehending the Way of Domain, cultivating the Heavenly Dao?

"Senior, we practice the Taicang Martial Arts, and the Taicang Domain was pioneered by our teacher Taicang. At our level, we have already comprehended the Way of Domain; how then can we comprehend the Way of Domain anew?"

Li Xuan smiled slightly and said, "The Way of Domain I speak of is not the Way of Domain you have comprehended. The Way of Domain you know is illusory, like a mere bubble."

"Look at this tree, born of the domain. What is its Dao? Since you have comprehended the Way of Domain, this tree, born of the domain, you should be able to control this tree with that comprehension."

"Can you then turn this tree into a sword, a knife, a spear?"

Old Man Xiao furrowed his brow in thought and hesitantly said, "That seems not difficult?"

"Then try it,"

Li Xuan said, smiling.

"Alright!"

Old Man Xiao, not understanding the deep meaning of the Taoist Ancestor, took a deep breath, reached out his hand, and in an instant the tree was uprooted and in a flash, he refined it into a sword.

"Senior, how is this?"

Li Xuan shook his head and said, "The sword in your hand has form but no Dao."

Turning to his chief disciple, Xu Yan, he said, "Disciple, turn that tree into a sword."

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Yan nodded, and with a mere thought, another tree in an instant transformed into a fierce Precious Sword, sharp and clearly displaying the life force and characteristics of the original tree.

Old Man Xiao stood dumbfounded on the spot, knowing Xu Yan's Sword Dao was mystical, and only now truly realized how terrifying this mystical Sword Dao was.

Looking at the sword in his hand and then at the sword in Xu Yan's hand, he began to feel dejected, threw down his sword, and prostrated himself on the ground saying, "Please, Taoist Ancestor, enlighten me!"

Li Xuan smiled warmly, Taoist Ancestor Halo swirling with the charm of the Great Dao, his voice resonating like the sound of the Great Dao, and gently sounded.

Enjoy new adventures from empire

"This domain is incomplete; how can you comprehend the true Way of the Domain? And entering the Land of Chaotic Imperishable, yet losing yourself, you cannot find the path ahead."

"Only by comprehending the Heavenly Dao, cultivating the Heavenly Dao, can you have a path ahead."

Old Man Xiao's heart was deeply moved, the meaning in the Taoist Ancestor's words was very clear—Taicang Domain without the Heavenly Dao, and without the Heavenly Dao, naturally, the domain is incomplete!

He wanted to advance further, the only way was to understand the Heavenly Dao, cultivate the Heavenly Dao, and this premise was, the Taicang Domain must have the Heavenly Dao.

"Senior, where is the Heavenly Dao, how can I comprehend it?"

Old Man Xiao asked reverently and respectfully.

Behind the Taoist Ancestor Halo, Li Xuan's smile was radiant, the timing was almost right, it was about time to let Old Man Xiao, this Realm Master, assist, to make Tian Zi run the entire domain faster, to let Martial Artists all comprehend and cultivate the Heavenly Dao.