Ji Xiang ascended into the Profound Elephant.
The shadow of the Boundless Beginning Heavenly Venerate was cast from within the Profound Elephant, appearing rather faint in that distant abyss. Yet, it was precisely because of this faintness that those who saw the Profound Elephant from the outside could discern the silhouette of this Heavenly Venerate.
Upon first encountering the Profound Elephant, one could attain the realm of Great Elephant.
Seeing the Profound Elephant again was an event that occurred only during ascension to the Profound.
The third phenomenon occurring now was the reflection of the Profound Elephant.
This was something that had never happened since ancient times. No Great Elephant Master had ever achieved it, until this very moment, as if a "Primordial Beginning" of a new phenomenon was being opened.
What did not exist before was nothingness and the unknowable. But once it appeared, in that instant, it possessed its own Primordial Beginning moment, and it also acquired a concrete form that could be described.
Within the Profound Elephant, there was originally nothing. It was deep, solitary, the beginning of all phenomena in the world. From the Profound Elephant emerged a nascent thought. This nascent thought caused countless dust particles to surge forth. The Primordial Beginning Elephant also appeared at this time, allowing the beings born later to find it and draw it out.
"Profound Elephant! It seems I am the reflection cast by you!"
The Undying Immortal Shadow within the Undying Immortal Flower stood up, observing this scene with great shock. His voice was desolate, gradually carrying some reminiscences from ancient times:
"Once, there was an 'I' who died in a certain distant place, annihilated by some supreme being. But that 'I' entrusted its last thought, becoming one with this flower, and was brought to this world."
"At that time, this world did not have much old time. The worlds reflected were all different, separated by vast distances."
"But I don't know when a path was drawn down. My thought first awakened, unable to speak, unable to think, only possessing a living instinctual thought. It sensed that path that appeared, and the person walking on that path felt extremely familiar to me."
"That was the path I should have taken. In that distant place, for four hundred cycles of Great Evolution, through endless and unceasing eons of time, from beginning to end, only one person walked such a path. But the path he walked was merely the residual trace I left behind. He called himself Myriad Phenomena but could not surpass me. I placed no hope in him."
"The path of mastering 'phenomena,' this was the ultimate truth transcending the mundane world. But because of my 'identity and origin,' being 'formed from the vital essence of someone,' I could not draw out the path to cultivate 'phenomena,' because this origin could not be erased!"
"My heart was filled with sorrow and anger. If not for this unerasable origin of my birth, I could have walked the path of truly mastering phenomena and forged a path unbound."
"Someone came to bewitch me for this, hoping to obtain my power. I willingly submitted to his bewitchment, for that was my own desire."
The Undying Immortal Shadow's reminiscences grew more distant as he gazed at the Boundless Beginning Heavenly Venerate within the Profound Elephant.
"The Path of Primordial Beginning, the beginning of all 'beginnings' in the world, that is 'phenomena'! And the Profound Elephant is even before that!"
"No one gave birth to the Profound Elephant. It is hidden, void, yet it exists. It is unknown who nurtured and generated it. It existed before the formation of all things."
Ji Xiang, who had ascended into the Profound Elephant, spoke: "Are you a practitioner of the true Path of Primordial Beginning from some distant place? Your phenomena have reached the peak, integrating all things into one, yet you cannot integrate the Great Elephant Masters into it. This indicates that your Dharma is far less powerful than you claim."
"Like the Grand Supreme before you, you speak astonishing words, claiming to be the source of all Dao and Dharma, even the source of the source of all Dao. Are you the same existence as the Grand Supreme?"
"I am equal to the Grand Supreme?"
The Undying Immortal Shadow was momentarily choked by this statement, and then a surge of anger erupted:
"They are merely names! I am the first substantial thing in the world. The phenomena of all things begin with me. Their names can illuminate the world because I paved the way for them. How can I be equal to them!"
"I cannot assimilate you Great Elephant Masters because you do not have your own origins! You are independent phenomena, existences who have reached the ultimate stage on the Path of Primordial Beginning, and have stepped into the starting point of this level. Beyond that, even I do not know where it leads. You can resist me precisely because you have no origin!"
"This is the root of my jealousy towards you!"
The Undying Immortal Shadow's words were filled with resentment: "Throughout these many old eons, Great Elephant Masters have seen me and wished to take away this flower I entrusted, but they could not. I cannot refine you into my body, but they also could not shake me."
"However, I thought of another method. Integration, Jade Purity cultivator."
Ji Xiang's gaze flickered. He said, "So that's how it is. In other old eons, there were only practitioners of the Path of Primordial Beginning, no so-called Jade Purity cultivators."
"Just like Jade Purity cultivators, they are merely derivatives created by the Grand Supreme here at will, paths that are reflected, and the ultimate path will return to the Dharma of the Grand Supreme."
The Undying Immortal Flower let out a laugh: "Of course! The Grand Supreme is a latercomer! Long ago, in many old eons, I cast the name Jade Purity, guiding those who first obtained the name Jade Purity to attain the Primordial Beginning Phenomena!"
"The Primordial Beginning descended, generating all things. Thus, this distant place began to prosper, with Great Elephant Masters continuously emerging, and several formless realms were born."
"You must be wondering, why would a flower, even inferior to the formless realm, facilitate the birth of so many transcendent beings? What benefit is there for me?"
"There is!"
The Undying Immortal Shadow looked at Ji Xiang, or rather, at the Profound Elephant itself. His long-held wish was about to be fulfilled at this moment. The Undying Immortal Shadow's voice was filled with hope, as if he could not possibly fail.
His phenomena could indeed overwhelm everything, entirely different from the Nine Nether Heavenly Venerate Ji Xiang had seen, or even himself as a Great Elephant Master.
And Ji Xiang picked up his words:
"It's the origin, isn't it?"
The birth of Jade Purity cultivators. The first Jade Purity cultivator would inevitably become a Great Elephant Master. He would evolve into myriad phenomena, and among all subsequent Jade Purity cultivators, there would inevitably be someone like Mr. Gu, who would be responsible for assimilating everything. When he became supremely powerful, and the world reached its end, the first Jade Purity cultivator could become a Great Elephant Master and then ascend to the Profound.
As for someone like Mr. Gu, he would self-destruct in the old eons, becoming nourishment for the next new eon.
Or, he would forcefully break through the old eons and become another Great Elephant Master.
"In other words, all the old eons could have avoided destruction, but it was because you cast Jade Purity." "It seems that Jade Purity is merely a path within the Path of Primordial Beginning, which you passed down. And the subsequent Great Elephant Masters are all of Jade Purity origin, and a part of their origin phenomena resides with you."
The Undying Immortal Shadow let out a booming, shaking sound: "Don't worry, these phenomena have been merged by me, becoming one. It has no effect on them. When they ascended to the Profound, their origin was severed, which is why they could ascend. I did not assimilate them because at that time, I did not have the strength to assimilate and control them."
"Great Elephant Masters are difficult to control. Of course, if they discovered that a part of their origin still existed before ascending to the Profound, they could sever it themselves... to sever their origin and ascend independently."
"I merely borrowed a part of their phenomena to bring me closer to the Profound Elephant. Each time I obtained the 'residual phenomena' of another Great Elephant Master, I would get one step closer to the Profound Elephant."
"What I did not expect was that you would be accepted by the Profound Elephant."
"Actively summoning the Profound Elephant, this is something that has never happened among Great Elephant Masters in the past. This proves you have understood the precursor to all things and stepped onto the same level as me... No, in terms of outcome, you have 'manifested the true Dao body.' Within this level, you have gone further than I did in the past."
"Perhaps it is precisely because of this that you were not dragged into the realm of delusion by the integrated flower, that you did not go mad, but instead advanced further. But this also means that you possess a part of what I lack. You are special!"
As the Undying Immortal Shadow spoke, the jealousy in his words was already very intense.
"Perhaps, the person that the Jade Purity Path ultimately awaits is you. You are the one who completes what I lack. You are now reflecting your own silhouette within the Profound Elephant. As long as I assimilate you, I can achieve the wish that has remained unfulfilled since before eternity."
As the Undying Immortal Shadow said this, Ji Xiang responded not with many words, but with action.
The next moment, the Profound Elephant turned, its deep and distant scenery expanding boundlessly. Ji Xiang's aura completely vanished, leaving only the silhouette reflected within the Profound Elephant.
The Undying Immortal Shadow was stunned. He attempted to respond, and as his integrated power surged, he released the residual phenomena of countless Great Elephant Masters he had "guided" in the past.
The illusory forms of these Great Elephant Masters twisted and merged, each possessing the majestic power to manipulate myriad phenomena.
"This is the supreme entity condensed from the phenomena of countless beings in the world. As long as one has not reached the Heaven of Heavens, they are helpless against this and can only be crushed and assimilated by these countless Great Elephant Masters."
"You were also once a Jade Purity cultivator, and I am your origin. Even if you sever this origin now, I have already obtained a part of your residual phenomena. You used the holy title of the Boundless Beginning to obtain my integrated power. Now I can use your Boundless Beginning power to swallow you in return."
"No matter where you flee, even if you enter the Profound Elephant, I, in my current state, can follow you and enter the Profound Elephant together!"
The Undying Immortal Shadow also exuded a distant scene. It was an illusory scene, just as he had said before. His self-定位 seemed to be the reflection of the Profound Elephant. By borrowing Ji Xiang's Boundless Beginning power and the residual phenomena of countless Great Elephant Masters, he had finally broken through his cocoon and could now enter the Profound Elephant.
But Ji Xiang's voice descended clearly:
"This is not fleeing."
"This is a reckoning."
Ji Xiang had obtained Profound Virtue, a level of returning to simplicity with all things. It resonated with the Undying Immortal Shadow's integration, representing two forces that were essentially the same but manifested as different "phenomena."
By reflecting the Profound Elephant, Ji Xiang completely entered the depths of the Profound Elephant, reaching a different realm from the formless realm.
There were indeed many Paths of Primordial Beginning.
"Emperor of Phenomena! You wish to return to simplicity, to abandon everything before the Boundless Beginning."
Ji Xiang uttered a name. The Undying Immortal Shadow immediately trembled. That name seemed to possess a suppressive power, awakening the ancient origin within the Undying Immortal Shadow's body.
This uncontrollable change greatly shocked the Undying Immortal Shadow. He also unleashed the power of the Boundless Beginning, attempting to suppress that change into the infinite past or future. But no matter how he suppressed it, that connection remained, entangling him from the distant era of the Boundless Beginning.
Vital essence, he felt as if he were reverting to vital essence. His integrated power was shaking. The distorted residual phenomena of the Great Elephant Masters also began to tear each other apart, as if his integrated power was disintegrating and could no longer sustain these residual phenomena.
"I do not need to return to simplicity. No matter why you suddenly learned my name! My intention was always to precede all phenomena. Only then can I escape my origin!"
"To escape the origin, there is only the path of returning to simplicity, to settle all the favors and calamities you have left behind, to transform you back into a drop of tranquil vital essence. You will then trace back from that vital essence, severing your own origin."
Ji Xiang's tone carried a hint of pity: "There is no other way. You have reached the extreme on this path. Even if you devour and assimilate the Profound Elephant, becoming one, you can only walk this path."
"Your will and thoughts will disappear. The new you will start anew, but at that time, you will not be the current you."
Just as the Grand Supreme's thought possessed Jiajing, the path ahead indeed existed. However, the Undying Immortal Shadow was not strong enough to contend with the Profound Elephant. Therefore, even if he assimilated the Profound Elephant, he would ultimately lose his own thoughts.
"You are merely a Great Elephant Master, favored by the Profound Elephant, and you dare to speak of the path ahead and discuss destiny!"
"I have waited for so long, and you tell me that to sever, I must start over, that everything is an illusion. No one can accept this, even if it is true. Moreover, I can connect with the Profound Elephant. As long as I assimilate you and gain enlightenment through the thought of the Boundless Beginning, there may still be a path!"
Ji Xiang smiled: "As a seeker of the Dao, I pity you for not being able to sever your origin and be bound. In comparison, those of us who have severed our origins, and other Great Elephant Masters, should feel fortunate for this. Whether we are favored by the Heaven of Heavens, chosen by the Profound Elephant, or have our own opportunities, we have reached this point."
"But as a seeker of the Dao, you wish to kill me to open your own path, and I cannot agree."
"Because I also have a path. The principles of the world are nothing more than this. I cannot sacrifice myself for you just because you are a determined seeker of the Dao. This is what it means when our paths do not align. But I still pity you. Therefore, after I have settled with you, I will revert your vital essence and pave the way for you."
"You are the founder of Jade Purity, and I am the terminator of the Jade Purity Path. You are the Emperor of Phenomena, integrated with all phenomena. As for me, I have broken through the Great Elephant, not ascended to the Profound, but returned to the Profound, entering the realm of 'Being One with the Profound Dao'..."
"Even before the Emperor of Phenomena."