479: Chapter 495 The True View of Nothingness!

"As expected, there aren't that many spectators in life."

Lu Ming muttered to himself.

Looking around, the hundreds of people in the square were all preoccupied with their own thoughts and tasks; no one was looking at him.

Well, except for one person!

From the corner of his eye, Lu Ming caught sight of the black-robed figure standing at the very front, who was currently observing him with a peculiar gaze.

That gaze held no malice, nor was it kind; it was like a scrutiny, as if admiring an interesting object.

Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, could this person have discovered that it was he who had been spying on him just now?

But soon, Lu Ming felt something was off.

He was confident he had been discreet enough, having not touched the other party's Karma at all, leaving not even a trace. How could he have been exposed?

Unless the other person's Realm was high enough to perceive the act of "being observed" itself, rather than just the source of the observation.

Yet, although this person's aura was concealed, they were at most at Golden Core Perfection. Where would they get such an ability?

Lu Ming's thoughts raced, but his face remained calm on the surface.

When his gaze "accidentally" met the black-robed person's again, he simply gave a slight nod and withdrew his gaze, ignoring them.

In response, the black-robed person merely smiled and did not continue their observation.

Seeing this, Lu Ming, who still kept a sliver of his attention on the black-robed person's movements, did not relax; instead, he grew secretly vigilant.

He felt this person was strange, with an indescribable aura.

Lu Ming's gaze inadvertently swept toward the Void Realm.

There, the karma golden book shone brightly, and as its pages turned, dozens of newly listed names appeared faintly.

These people had all appeared on the list when he exposed that he possessed the xuanling token.

However, Lu Ming couldn't be sure for the moment if the black-robed person was among them.

"Forget it, perhaps I'm overthinking."

If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it.

Lu Ming retracted his thoughts and prepared for the opening of the secret land.

During the time he had been in the square, the Dao Palace finally showed signs of activity.

The pillars of light on the Cultivators carrying xuanling tokens suddenly surged, resonating more intensely with the power deep within the Dao Palace.

At that moment, the tokens flew out from their respective owners' bosoms, turning into streaks of light that vanished into the palace gates.

With every streak of light that merged, the palace gates slowly opened inward.

The runes on the door leaves lit up one by one, first at the edges, then the center, until finally, the entire door was enveloped in a deep blue light.

When the last streak of light vanished, the Dao Palace gates swung wide open, revealing a deep water curtain.

Light and shadow shifted upon the water curtain, making it impossible to see clearly, as if it led to another world.

While everyone else was still captivated by this scene, the black-robed person did not watch like the others; without the slightest hesitation, he took the first step.

With one step, he entered the water curtain, and his figure quickly disappeared.

Behind him, everyone had different expressions.

Some frowned slightly, while others' eyes flickered, their thoughts unknown.

But still, no one followed.

It wasn't until the leading Taixuan Immortal Sect followed suit that these people began to file in one after another.

Lu Ming did not wait until the very end to enter; instead, he chose to follow closely after some people had already gone in.

The moment he passed through the water curtain, the scene before him changed abruptly.

It wasn't the halls and pavilions he had imagined, but a deep corridor with rough stone walls on both sides, engraved with ancient patterns where humanoid outlines were faintly visible.

Some of these humanoid figures were over ten feet tall, some were no different from ordinary people, some had hideous faces, and some had graceful figures.

The patterns had long since blurred, and only their outlines could be vaguely discerned.

At the end of the corridor was an open space.

Nine massive caves were situated there, lined up in a row like nine eyes, coldly watching the newcomers.

Lu Ming frowned.

This didn't look like a peaceful and serene immortal's cave at all; it looked more like the lair of some Vicious Beast.

"As expected, it's fair on the outside but rotten within."

The Soul-Devouring Demon Lord was already standing before the caves, observing the deep openings with a slight upward curve of his lips.

It seemed that the interior could no longer be completely disguised.

Since the last time he came, this place had been nine magnificent palace gates, inlaid with pearls and jade, engraved with auspicious clouds and cranes, exuding an immortal atmosphere.

Now, they had turned into nine deep caves, and the blurred patterns on the stone walls were clearly the totems of the Asura Clan.

Clearly, as the Secret Realm's Origin gradually depleted, its disguise was peeling away.

He estimated that by the next time the Secret Realm was entered, this place would have changed completely, reverting entirely to the appearance of the Asura Clan's territory!

The Soul-Devouring Demon Lord pondered in his heart, but his movements were not slow.

He also seemed to have a pre-selected target, stepping toward the first cave.

Behind him, the Cultivators who followed saw how decisive he was, and a strange look flashed in their eyes.

"This person... just went in like that?"

"Aren't they afraid of death?"

"Whatever, I'm not following anyway."

They were waiting.

Waiting for the people from the Grotto-Heavens to move first.

This wasn't cowardice, but the wisdom of survival.

Within this Secret Realm, the Grotto-Heaven forces possessed the most intelligence, the most complete records, and the richest experience.

They might know what was inside, which path to take, and how to avoid risks.

Following them might not guarantee a share of the spoils, but at least they wouldn't lose their lives in a muddle.

The representative figures of several major Grotto-Heavens glanced at each other, their lips curling into a half-smile.

Ignoring those expectant gazes, they tacitly chose their own directions and stepped inside.

The Saintess from the Taixuan Immortal Sect walked toward the second water curtain on the left, Hua Nongying of the Six Desires Demonic Sect toward the third on the right, Xuan Zhenzi of the Qingwei Dao Sect toward the fourth in the center, Hunyuan Demon Cave toward the fifth, and Zixiao Grotto-Heaven toward the sixth.

Each chose their own, without overlap.

This immediately dumbfounded the people behind who wanted to tag along for experience, and the atmosphere began to grow restless.

"Why did they split up?"

"This... who are we supposed to follow?"

Everyone began to talk at once; some stamped their feet in anxiety, some frowned in thought, but others had already begun following the people from the Grotto-Heavens.

In their view, they were still more willing to trust the judgment of the Grotto-Heaven forces.

Following the Grotto-Heavens was better than wandering aimlessly on their own.

Following them couldn't be wrong.

Thus, the crowd, like diverted water, followed the steps of the Grotto-Heaven people and quickly split into several groups, each entering a different cave.

Except for a small number of people who had their own ideas and chose the remaining three caves, or the first cave that the black-robed person had entered.

At this point, only Lu Ming had not followed the crowd, standing alone in place without moving.

He looked in the direction where the Grotto-Heaven figures had disappeared, then at the first cave the black-robed person had entered, calculating silently.

Following the Grotto-Heavens, they had the experience and records paved by their Sect Seniors, so the risk was relatively small.

But small risk meant great competition.

With so many people following, it would be a mess once inside.

However, if he gave up following the Grotto-Heaven people and chose another path, he would be completely in the dark.

Lu Ming scratched his head in frustration.

But then, a new idea popped into his head.

Should he try following the black-robed person?

That person's Origins were unknown and their background unclear; following them was no different from gambling.

But Lu Ming always felt that person was not simple.

Someone who dared to be so arrogant in front of the Grotto-Heavens was either stubborn or had nothing to fear.

And the feeling that person gave him was definitely not that of a reckless individual.

Moreover, looking at the posture of those Grotto-Heaven people entering different caves separately, it suggested that there was likely no essential difference between the caves; otherwise, how could they split up?

Since that was the case, he decided to follow his own heart.

"Let's take a gamble."

Lu Ming made a secret decision and stepped toward the first cave.

The moment he stepped into the cave, a decaying aura blew toward him.

It was a mixture of blood-red baleful stench and some indescribable decaying scent.

The smell was faint, almost imperceptible, yet it made one instinctively frown.

Lu Ming did not walk fast, his Divine Sense constantly monitoring the changes around him.

The interior of the cave was not dark at this time; certain glowing Ore were embedded in the stone walls, emitting a faint green light.

It illuminated patches of dark red mottling in the corridor, looking like dried bloodstains.

"It seems this is no place of benevolence!"

Lu Ming had a feeling that many people had probably died in this corridor in the past.

After all, for the Xuanling Secret Realm which opens once every thousand years, it shouldn't be that even the smell of blood couldn't dissipate.

Just how many people would have to die to produce such an effect!

Lu Ming was secretly vigilant, but his steps did not stop.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the corridor ahead suddenly opened up.

When he clearly saw the scene behind it, Lu Ming's pupils suddenly constricted.

He saw a stone chamber ahead, not large, about ten square zhang in size.

In the center of the stone chamber was a stone platform, upon which lay an ancient Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip was pitch black all over, its surface engraved with countless fine patterns, emitting a faint glow.

And on the four walls of the stone chamber, various images were also carved.

There were scenes of the beginning of the world, the initial separation of Yin and Yang, the birth and death of all things, and the cycle of Karma.

Each picture contained profound principles of heaven and earth, yet they were faint and indistinct, making it impossible to see them clearly.

Lu Ming walked to the stone platform and reached out to pick up the Jade Slip.

The moment his Divine Sense probed it, a stream of information flooded into his mind.

"Trial of Comprehension."

"Comprehend the dao rhyme on the walls; only those who understand it fully may proceed."

Lu Ming looked up at the pictures on the four walls.

So that's how it is!

He wondered why the environmental style of the corridor changed so drastically; it turned out to be a trial.

Filtering entrants by setting up trial stages was quite reasonable.

He just didn't know how many stages this trial had in total.

Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. Lu Ming thought no more and sat down cross-legged, focusing his gaze on the pictures on the wall.

The first picture depicted the beginning of the world, with the Five Elements reshaping earth, water, wind, and fire.

Within Chaos, the clear Qi rose and the turbid Qi sank; the clear became heaven and the turbid became earth, and between heaven and earth, all things sprouted.

The principle of this picture was very simple; Lu Ming saw through it at a glance.

But he was in no hurry to stand up, for he knew this trial would not be so simple.

Sure enough, when he moved his gaze to the second picture, the scene changed.

It was no longer the beginning of the world, but the initial separation of Yin and Yang.

The two Qis of Yin and Yang intertwined and coiled, turning into a Taiji that slowly rotated.

Within the Taiji, the Four Emblems were born, which in turn gave rise to the Eight Trigrams, and the Eight Trigrams derived all things.

This picture was more profound than the first, but Lu Ming had comprehended the Yin-Yang Law, so he was not unfamiliar with these concepts.

In just a moment, he had comprehended it thoroughly.

The third picture was the birth and death of all things.

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the four seasons replaced each other; birth, aging, illness, and death; Reincarnation never ceased.

Flowers bloom and fade, tides rise and fall; all things have a beginning and must have an end; all that is born must die.

This picture made Lu Ming ponder for a moment.

It wasn't that he had comprehended anything, but rather that he felt the appearance of these scenes was somewhat strange.

It seemed as if all these scenes were Laws he was familiar with or had come into contact with.

To verify his suspicion, Lu Ming immediately looked at the fourth picture.

Sure enough, this one was about the cycle of Karma!

Good is rewarded with good, and evil with evil; every sip and every bite is predestined.

This picture caused a slight upward curve of Lu Ming's lips.

Although his Cultivate was not strictly the Dao of Karma, he possessed the karma golden book and was more than familiar with these principles.

In just a moment, he gained some enlightenment, and his understanding of the Dao of Karma deepened.

But Lu Ming did not immerse himself in it; he continued to look further down.

As expected, this time the pictures were of the familiar Xun Wind, followed by Tiangang, Thick Earth...

"As expected, this is a trial tailored specifically for me!"

Once Lu Ming was certain of this, he stopped skimming and began to carefully comprehend each picture one by one, from beginning to end.

At first, he felt it was easy, as he was not unfamiliar with these Laws and was even familiar with them to a certain extent.

But as he comprehended more and more pictures, the difficulty also increased.

Those dao rhyme were no longer straightforward but became obscure, hidden, and even self-contradictory.

Some pictures seemed to explain one principle, but upon closer inspection, they were explaining another.

Some pictures he had clearly comprehended fully, yet when he looked again, he gained new insights.

Lu Ming gradually became immersed, losing track of time.

He didn't know how long he had been comprehending.

Perhaps an hour, perhaps a day, perhaps even longer.

When he finished comprehending the last picture, he felt his mind clear and his thoughts unobstructed, as if something had exploded in his brain.

At this moment, those pictures were no longer static images in his eyes but had come to life.

The Five Elements of heaven and earth were surging, Yin and Yang were flowing, all things were being born and dying, and Karma was cycling.

Each picture was telling him some mysterious principle, and each principle stirred layers of ripples in his mind.

He was immersed in it, forgetting time.

After an unknown amount of time, those pictures suddenly lit up simultaneously.

Countless dao rhyme poured out from the walls, flowing into his brow like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, those dao rhyme intertwined, coiled, and fused, gradually condensing into a Divine Ability brand.

This Divine Ability was named "Wuwang True Vision."

As the name implied, this Divine Ability could grant Lu Ming another "perspective."

That is, to see the essence through the appearance!

Lu Ming opened his eyes and looked at his palm.

Now he could see the lines on his palm, the flesh beneath the lines, the Meridians within the flesh, and the spiritual power flowing through the Meridians.

Going deeper, he could see the essence of the spiritual power.

It was the condensation of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, the transformation of the Five Elements' power, and the manifestation of his own dao foundation.

Any deeper, and he could no longer see clearly.

It wasn't that the "Wuwang True Vision" Divine Ability wasn't strong enough, but that his Realm was not high enough.

What he could see depended on his own comprehension.

Currently, he was still unable to exert the Divine Ability's full power.

But inability now did not mean inability in the future; once he fully mastered this Divine Ability, or even advanced his Realm by another stage.

Perhaps he would be able to see through the essence of the Laws.

And by doing so, mastering the power of Laws would no longer be as difficult as it was now!