Cultivating in Honkai!

Chapter 409: Failed Example

The details of this world became clear with all the available information. Hongjun and Zixiao Palace ties back to the ‘Honghuang’ (lit. Mythological Era). It is the origin of myths revolving around Pangu, stating that he “created” a world with a swing of his axe. His body then split into several pillars that held the world. His pair of eyes, for instance, became the Sun and Moon star of the universe. Aside from Pangu, there are the Three Thousand Chaos Gods. They are lifeforms born out of the universe’s “chaos”, possessing potential going straight to the Primordial Origin Immortal Realm. Its equivalent is the Dao Integration Realm. Hongjun is a Chaos God who renounced his identity. He experienced death and reincarnated into the world Pangu created, eventually stepping up to the position of the Heavenly Dao. The end of his path, speculated by sparse records from the techniques, is at the Primordial Everlasting Immortal—a realm higher than the Primordial Origin Immortal Realm.

As for its equivalent…

For his palace, the place he considered his home, to appear out of nowhere is nothing short of baffling. More so the fact that a future projection could go as far as projecting literal worlds. 

After scanning the surroundings, I went straight to the palace’s main door. It stood tens of thousands of meters tall. It is capable of housing even the largest demon beasts using their true bodies. My height as a human seemed insignificant at the face of it.

The door slowly opened by itself. The palace’s inside was revealed at that moment. A vast interior was filled with hundreds, if not thousands of tall pillars. One meditation pillows after another are symmetrically laid out perfectly across the vast empty space. A wide hallway is cleared in the middle. 

It led straight into a platform ascended in steep stairs. In its center lay a meditation pillow. It emitted a faint white glow. Traces of Dao danced around amongst the soft light. Strangely enough, the rays of light showed ‘events’ that had happened into this world—a man swinging his axe across the vast gray , a sage enlightening this world’s creations with three sermons, the six disciples’ intake of Primordial Purple Qi pushing them to Sainthood, and so on.

One by one, phantoms made of specks of golden light emerged from the futons. The forms they took varied. Some looked like literal beasts the size of a continent. The others seemed like humanoid creatures. Some bore animalistic creatures, the equivalent of demon beasts transforming into humans. Though they all differed, one thing remained the same. All of them looked straight towards the highest platform. Their respectful gazes condensed tangibly.

The final phantom formed at the highest platform was that of an old daoist man with a long white beard. He wore a pure white attire, further adding to the ‘sacred’ aura he emanated. The Dao swirled around his fingertips before heading straight to every single phantom sitting on the meditation pillows. This display of power showed the true extent of his current realm, the Dao Integration Realm. He alone is a Dao honored by the world. His teachings could give rise to Saints/Void Refinement Realm at will.

Before I could examine things further…

The entire palace turned dim. The phantoms felt like they weren’t there in the first place. The vast space filled with awe and respect turned desolate. A creeping sense of unease rested amongst the darkness.

“The first is to surpass the null. The second is to create.”

I immediately looked at the origin of the voice. In the place where Hongjun once preached, there is a man with a striking semblance to me. The long purple hair, the golden pupils that shone amongst this darkness, and the inviolable spirit made it apparent he me…. a future projection of me, at the very least.

Pushing aside the fact he sat on the Dao Ancestor’s seat, he continued speaking:

“...the third spells extinction. Something similar to the tribulation undergone by the creator of this world.”

His words silenced whatever I wanted to say. 

Pangu, an invincible guy who fought through all three thousand Chaos Gods, died to create this “world”. Nobody in the universe could kill him, yet the tribulation pushed him to his death. Judging from Hongjun’s future Tribulation Transcendence Realm, it is clear that Pangu has stepped onto the latter stages of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm. Him fighting all three thousand Chaos Gods must have taken a toll, serving as his first tribulation. Like me, he must have received an opportunity to trigger it earlier. Only, his opportunity is limited to tribulation. The second tribulation that came soon after resulted in his death, something he had faced in the Tribulation Transcendence Realm itself.

Someone who stands at the second highest-level of immortal cultivation, a being who could affect multiple universes at will, died to that second tribulation.

…

Knowing this is one thing. To see people right in front of my eyes felt disheartening no matter how much I thought about it. The future projection seemingly went silent for a couple seconds, as if intending to let me process everything first.

“Remember. The answer lies in becoming a world. Do not follow…”

Everything turned extremely blurred. My mind sensed in its place. Whether it is the palace nor the spirit veins, I did not sense them at all. It was as if I was touching nothing but thin air!

Before everything could collapse, my future projection finished his words.

“...this failed attempt.”

My mind converged within myself in an instant. My sight is blinded for a split second. Consequently, my physical body jolted. My eyes shot wide open, greeted by the sleeping Himeko who turned me into a humanoid pillow. Her cheeks touched mine. A considerable weight pressed onto my chest, giving off the sensations of pillows and marshmallows combined. The faint floral scent coming from her every breath drifted into my nose.

Being sent into an inexplicably real future projection caused me to be high-strung. Returning into this place allowed me to relax, however. The desolation and coldness of that empty palace could never compare to the warmth right within my arms’ reach.

Receiving the love of many…