Chapter 4111 — Always Just a Little Short
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
"Isn't it simply the pursuit of higher realms? Foundation Establishment above the Heavenly Stage, the Golden Core after Foundation Establishment, and even the higher realms beyond that—all of this is the Heavenly Dao." Wei Zhao answered without hesitation.
Di Xingdao shook his head. "No. The true Heavenly Dao is cultivation of the truth—going against heaven and ultimately achieving the great way. That is the true Heavenly Dao."
"Right—isn't that exactly what we have been cultivating and pursuing all along?" Wei Zhao said in confusion. The term "cultivation of the truth" had been mentioned to him when he first arrived at Cloud Terrace Island, but he had not paid it much attention at the time, assuming it was merely a different way of referring to the new realm of Foundation Establishment.
"No, no, no. What we are cultivating now is not the Heavenly Dao at all—at best it can only be called the false Heavenly Dao. Its essence is to use martial arts in place of the Heavenly Dao. Although there are still divisions such as Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul, none of them are true cultivation of the truth. They can only be considered martial cultivation—a substitute for the true cultivation of the Heavenly Dao." Di Xingdao shook his head repeatedly.
"Martial cultivation? Cultivation of the Heavenly Dao? What does that mean..." Wei Zhao was utterly bewildered. He had always relied on his own exploration and comprehension before, and this was the first time he had heard anyone speak of these matters in earnest.
"Do you still not understand? What I just said means that very few people are capable of true cultivation of the truth. In order to allow more people to tread the path of the Heavenly Dao, as early as ancient times, great masters of supernatural power from Cloud Terrace Island adapted the method of true cultivation into a form of martial cultivation with a much lower threshold. Although martial cultivation can grant a more powerful physical body and superior skill, in the final analysis it is still nothing but the false Heavenly Dao. Martial cultivators are very strong in the early stages, but later on they are far inferior to true cultivators, and there is an extremely fundamental difference between the two!" Di Xingdao explained patiently, passing on his knowledge.
"Lord Tian, what exactly is this fundamental difference you speak of?" Wei Zhao could not help asking.
"It is very simple. In martial cultivation, the power ultimately obtained is martial technique—but in true cultivation of the Heavenly Dao, the power ultimately obtained is divine ability!" A look of yearning came over Di Xingdao's face.
"So that is how it is!" Wei Zhao finally understood, as if a bucket of enlightenment had been poured over his head. Di Xingdao's guidance instantly clarified his formerly vague understanding.
Still, Wei Zhao remained somewhat puzzled. Even if there was a difference between martial cultivation and true cultivation of the Heavenly Dao, virtually everyone nowadays followed the path of martial cultivation, and he had never heard of anyone who was a true master of cultivation. In other words, true cultivation of the Heavenly Dao had all but ceased to exist. Di Xingdao's sudden mention of all this seemed rather inexplicable.
Di Xingdao saw Wei Zhao's confusion and said solemnly, "The reason I am telling you all this is actually to let you know that the War Art of Creation is a true method of cultivation. This is a legend handed down from ancient times—it is not wrong in itself, nor did it deceive us. It is simply that very few people are capable of cultivating it, and even those who do end up going astray in their practice, just like me."