Da Xuan Martial Saint

Chapter 1417: Chapter 681: Gate of Infinite Mysteries (Part 2)

"Standing outside the gate, peering into the Dao, is like fishing for the moon in a well, seeing flowers in the fog."

Chen Mu muttered to himself.

This Mystical Gate undoubtedly contains an almost indescribable mystical Dao, yet he couldn’t comprehend it. Or perhaps it was too elusive; the mountain outside the gate is utterly different from the mountain within the gate.

Chen Mu continued to step forward, approaching the Mystical Gate, and as he gradually got closer, more things appeared in the distance. Before the Mystical Gate, there were various palaces and pavilions, resembling a long street, gathered here were countless living beings.

Every living being that can reach here is undoubtedly a Ninth Layer Heavenly Divine Monarch!

With just one glance,

Chen Mu felt billions of distinct auras, evidently, the Ninth Layer Heavenly Divine Monarchs gathered here were innumerable!

And as Chen Mu approached the Mystical Gate, soon many gazes converged upon him.

"A newcomer."

"Hmm, seems to be from the Void Lineage, quite rare. Haven’t heard of him before, probably from a remote place, likely just initially entered the Nine Layer Heavens."

After briefly examining Chen Mu, several Ninth Layer Heavenly Divine Monarchs soon initiated contact.

"I am Zhen Yan, I greet this brother. May I know how to address you?"

First to appear was a man with golden skin, clad in a white gold-trimmed robe. He smiled and bowed to greet Chen Mu.

"Mu."

Chen Mu replied simply.

Zhen Yan Divine Monarch stepped forward with a smile, saying, "So it’s Brother Mu. I find Brother Mu unfamiliar, perhaps your first time to the Source Realm? Opportunities abound in the Source Realm, but dangers are plentiful as well; collaborating is the best strategy. I, humbled to say, have already comprehended the power of four Mystical Fusions in the Creation Lineage, only one step away from Single Vein Perfection. If Brother Mu is willing to travel with me, I can make a causality pact. Of all the resources gained in the Source Land, I’ll take only thirty percent, and Brother Mu will have the remaining seventy percent."

"Hehe, Zhen Yan, you old rascal, starting your schemes again, I see. Newcomer, my name is Gu Hong. If you join me in exploring the Source Realm, I’ll take only twenty percent of all gains, and the remaining eighty percent will be yours."

Before Chen Mu could respond, suddenly another voice came, as a gaunt man, clad in a straw raincoat resembling an ordinary fisherman, approached from not far away.

Zhen Yan frowned upon hearing this, looking at Gu Hong with displeasure:

"With my strength, taking thirty percent is reasonable."

Gu Hong ignored Zhen Yan, instead gazing at Chen Mu, earnestly saying, "I also belong to the Creation Lineage, my strength equals Zhen Yan’s. If you agree to partner with me and join the Source Realm, I’ll take only twenty percent of any gains. I can make a causality pact with you right now."

Chen Mu glanced at Gu Hong and Zhen Yan, showing a pondering expression but didn’t reply.

"In front of the Mystical Gate, making a causality pact with the Origin Dao must be adhered to; otherwise, the backlash from the Origin Dao is something no one can bear. My taking of twenty percent is already a significant concession."

Seeing Chen Mu unresponsive, Gu Hong continued calmly.

Seeing Chen Mu still not answer, he finally sighed and said, "Ten percent. I’ll take only ten percent. How about this? All resources and opportunities gained in the Source Land will be ninety percent yours, and I will also exert my full efforts in the Source Land."

Chen Mu looked at Gu Hong, but now, his gaze was profound.

The situation looked unusual, but if aware of the underlying reason, it would immediately seem very normal.

Source Realm,

As the universe’s primordial land, entering it requires a price.

The Source Realm is where the Origin Dao lies hidden, and the Power of Dao within is unfathomably thick. Outside the Source Realm, the strong can freely mobilize the Dao, using divine power to harness the void, creation, time, and other powers of Dao.

However, within the Source Realm, because the Dao’s origin is harbored, although the strong can still manipulate the Power of Dao, their divine power will also be slowly absorbed by the Origin Dao!

Indeed,

In the Source Realm, not only is it difficult to absorb the Power of Dao to replenish the consumption of divine power, but divine power will continuously drain away.

To maintain stability of divine power, one must be shielded by ’Origin Power.’

Every living being has three chances, the first three entries into the Source Realm will be cared for by the Origin Dao, receiving a strand of Origin Power granted by the Origin Dao.

Generally, a strand of Origin Power can sustain about one epoch’s consumption within the Source Realm, allowing a stay of roughly one epoch in the Source Realm. Once the Origin Power is exhausted, divine power begins to drain, and one must leave before it’s completely lost.

Chen Mu’s arrival here, although using a Nihility Avatar, is equally affected since the Origin Dao spans time and space; time scale and spatial distance hold no significance in the face of the Origin Dao. Even if he enters the Source Realm with only a Nihility Avatar, regardless of whether his Divine Power True Body remains far away in the Abyss of Eternity, the Source Realm can still extract divine power across space!

Of course,

According to Chen Mu’s understanding, the Source Realm also fosters Origin Power, and some areas can even produce Origin Power endlessly. However, those areas have all been monopolized by top forces like the Time Temple!

Unless one can join those major forces, one isn’t qualified to share Origin Power, and even then, not everyone can join those forces. At least from Chen Mu’s insights from the Master of Tianji, the Time Temple’s peripheral forces are extremely vast, and there are many Ninth Layer Heavenly Divine Monarchs in its outer forces, yet very few qualify to become true internal entities.

Ordinary Ninth Layer Heavens simply have no qualification, requiring at least Single Vein Perfection for some chance, and often only those with Double Veins Nine Heavens can truly become internal members of the Time Temple.

Divine Monarchs like Zhen Yan and Gu Hong have lost the qualifications to enter the Source Realm, forced to recruit new Ninth Layer Heavenly Divine Monarchs like Chen Mu, hoping to find a way to journey together.

If he agrees to collaborate with Gu Hong, upon entering the Source Realm, the strand of Origin Power granted by the Dao must be shared with Gu Hong. Originally, a strand of Origin Power can support one person’s exploration of the Source Realm for one epoch, but if split between two, it can only support half an epoch’s exploration.

This is why, in the eyes of Zhen Yan and Gu Hong, they assume Chen Mu is obscure, at the initial level of the Nine Layer Heavens, yet they’re willing to make a causality pact to enter the Source Realm with him, taking only two or three percent of the gains.

Even,

Gu Hong is willing to step back further and only take ten percent of the gains.

Because without Origin Power, they simply cannot enter the Source Realm and are left waiting here for opportunities.

"I appreciate the goodwill from both of you, but I’m accustomed to traveling alone, not used to collaborating with others."

Chen Mu finally replied coolly to Gu Hong and Zhen Yan.

Hearing this, Gu Hong immediately furrowed his brows, seriously saying, "Brother Mu, think carefully. Competition within the Source Realm is extraordinarily intense; even those with Single Vein Perfection often travel in groups, otherwise they can’t compete with others over opportunities. You’re entering the Source Realm for the first time, alone and unfamiliar with the environment, likely wasting an epoch."

"The Dao is before us; success or failure is fate."

Chen Mu responded calmly, then proceeded forward, disappearing in an instant.

Gu Hong frowned, staring at Chen Mu’s departing figure.

Zhen Yan stood to the side, remarking casually, "They are new here; naturally, they won’t easily believe what they’re told. Trying to catch their first voyage is extremely difficult. After he hits a wall in the Source Realm and returns, he’ll seek out forces, seek collaboration."

Gu Hong sighed hearing this, saying, "Thus, it’s merely a waste of an epoch’s opportunity, but we were once like him, now forced to wait for a chance."

Zhen Yan said nothing more, turned around and left, his eyes flickering slightly.

An epoch to him is but a blink of an eye. After an epoch, when this Divine Monarch Mu experiences some setbacks and exits the Source Realm, he’ll readily find him again, for even with the brief encounter, he could detect the causality network once Chen Mu leaves the Source Realm and locate him promptly.