[What do you want?]
After a brief silence, Zhuang Zhou sighed deeply.
Being Lu Huaijin’s future disciple, Zhuang Zhou had actually long since grasped the other’s personality.
If the other party were truly unwilling, they could not possibly have come to this Celestial Extreme Land and should have turned back when discovering Xiluo.
The fact that the other party only raised the issue of compensation after finding their "remains" indicates that their motives are more complex.
"I want to know the whole truth."
"Not those perfunctory superficial reasons you gave me, but more information besides you being a Pathfinder."
When he said this, Lu Huaijin paused slightly in his tone.
"For example, why have you fallen to such a state? What contingencies have you prepared?"
"And, since you claim to have inherited my lineage, how did you obtain it?"
Only oneself truly understands who they are in this world.
Lu Huaijin never saw himself as a qualified master, nor did he believe he would actively take on a disciple.
Thus, after clarifying the overall course of events, Lu Huaijin was very suspicious of how Zhuang Zhou acquired this lineage.
Was it due to some serendipitous encounter, fortuitously obtaining a fragment of the "Six Desires Demon-Separating Chapter"?
Or did he fall into a situation similar to Zhuang Zhou’s current state, to be usurped in reverse and have everything inherited?
Perhaps, worse still, is this Zhuang Zhou, in essence, a split personality nurtured by his future self?
The possibilities are simply too numerous to allow Lu Huaijin to be anything but cautious.
[Master, I am truly your disciple.]
Zhuang Zhou couldn’t remember how many times he had said this along the way.
Judging from Lu Huaijin’s expression, she didn’t believe a word Zhuang Zhou was saying.
Aside from lamenting Lu Huaijin’s unwavering temperament, Zhuang Zhou could only emphasize.
[As for why you accepted me as your disciple, to be honest, I find it quite strange too.]
[But none of that matters; what’s important is that those events have yet to occur and may very well not happen at all.]
[At this temporal juncture, I am the Giant Roc Zhuang Zhou, not the Zhuang Zhou of ’Zhuangsheng’s Dream.’]
...........................
As a Pathfinder from a future generation, Zhuang Zhou was always rather carefree.
Regarding whether he could succeed in his quest for the Dao, his attitude was that success or failure doesn’t matter as long as he gives his all.
Because what he sought was the "Carefree Path," pursuing the ability to let go of everything, being free, and doing as he pleased.
Even after countless futile attempts at seeking the Dao, Zhuang Zhou still believed in his chosen direction.
The previous failures were merely due to his insufficient ability.
So when delving into the river of time once, he accidentally touched on the era of the Tao Ancestor.
Without hesitation, Zhuang Zhou abandoned everything and made a desperate gamble to be reborn in this era.
This was why Zhuang Zhou appeared in this era—it was also an attempt to rewrite his origin.
With countless prior experiences, Zhuang Zhou was already adept in rewriting his origin.
Theoretically, as long as no one obstructed his path, Zhuang Zhou could fully grow into the Celestial God stage in this era.
As for passing through the Divine Gate Celestial Pass and attaining the Great Celestial God?
Even with experience in achieving Great Celestial God, the differences brought by different eras do exist.
Not to mention, the birth of many Great Celestial Gods was often the result of serendipitous opportunity and circumstances.
Therefore, unless a Great Celestial God has true confidence in themselves.
Otherwise, few would have the resolve to forcibly rewrite their origin to seek the Dao.
Realistically, reaching the pinnacle of one era is already the pursuit of countless powerful individuals.
Tracing back further and seeking eternal existence seems to be an endeavor rife with both risk and opportunity.
Thus, unless absolutely necessary, the majority of dominant Great Celestial Gods wouldn’t willingly take this step.
By comparison, Zhuang Zhou was already a standout with both determination and ability.
But, Zhuang Zhou somewhat underestimated the risks of seeking the Dao in this era.
This was the era when the Tao Ancestor manifested—it was truly the origin of time.
In the current era, even the stabilizing Innate Eight Trigrams had just been born.
Various paths had yet to manifest, and the myriad Gods spanning ancient and present times had not yet taken position; difficulties encountered during Zhuang Zhou’s cultivation were different from before.
In such a scenario, Posun, who was supposed to appear only during Zhuang Zhou’s "Refining Spirit and Returning to Void," had emerged early.
"Posun?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Zhou mention the Celestial Demon, Lu Huaijin frowned instantly.
Zhuang Zhou had never mentioned Posun before; he even glossed over Great Freedom Heaven and Heart Demons.
[That is my Heart Demon...]
Noticing the change in Lu Huaijin’s expression, Zhuang Zhou awkwardly explained in a low voice.
[Because I’ve sought the Dao too many times, with few successes.]
[So, I don’t know when it started, but each time I sought the Dao, a Heart Demon would emerge.]
[It is my opposite, a Demon King born of my discontent and obsession...]
[In the Great Freedom Heaven that I evolved, it possesses power equal or even greater than mine.]
Upon saying this, Lu Huaijin immediately understood somewhat.
It seemed that the intention was to gloss over the embarrassing history of such failures.
"Since it is your opposite, why is your power inferior to it?"
Looking down briefly at the Giant Roc frozen by the permafrost below, Lu Huaijin, though understanding, had a new question.
If Zhuang Zhou’s cultivation method derived from the "Six Desires Demon-Separating Chapter," then he should be able to handle the Heart Demon spawned from himself.
[This is also a mystery to me...]
Upon hearing Lu Huaijin’s question, Zhuang Zhou murmured in a tone mixed with confusion and curiosity.
This also illustrated Zhuang Zhou’s openness; he didn’t show any anger or hatred about his nest being usurped.
[Perhaps it’s because we travel different paths?]
In an uncertain tone, Zhuang Zhou explained further.
[I walk the Path of Great Freedom, while that Celestial Demon walks the Path of Transfiguration and Freedom.]
[My Path of Great Freedom seeks self-detachment, aiming to transcend beyond the Three Realms, uninhibited by the Five Elements, carefreely careless, and doing as I wish.]
[But the Path of Transfiguration and Freedom is just the opposite, a Demon Path transforming all beings into ’me.’]
[When all beings and creatures are transformations of ’me,’ one can likewise achieve freedom and carefreeness.]
[This is our different interpretations of the term ’carefree’!]
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