My Golden Core is a Star, do you call this cultivating?

In San Sheng's eyes, the two traces—one named "Wu Fa" ("No Law") and the other "Jing" ("Stillness")—represented the laws and rules of the universe.

These were the paths of the two beings above the fifth stage of Yang God.

His eyes were filled with contemplation as he continued to delve deeper into understanding their paths.

As for the other fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses, their eyes were focused, seemingly lost in their own realizations.

They too were attempting to comprehend the paths left by those traces.

At that moment, a multicolored light fell upon San Sheng.

This light was ordinary, even less intense than a basic flash spell from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Yet, all the remaining fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses present turned their gazes toward San Sheng, their eyes filled with surprise and envy.

"What is this?"

"Could it be that San Sheng has comprehended something?"

"Indeed, he is the one among us most likely to reach a stage above the fifth stage of Yang God."

These fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses, who had lived for countless eons, were still filled with excitement at this moment.

Then, a mechanical voice emerged from the light.

"My name is Wu Fa. Would you be willing to walk my path?"

The voice was mechanical, as if extending an invitation to San Sheng.

The surrounding fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses, upon hearing this, were filled with excitement.

The stage above the fifth stage of Yang God was mysterious and unfathomable, but there were some rumors about it.

To reach the sixth stage of Yang God, one either had to forge their own path or... follow the path of another sixth-stage Yang God powerhouse.

Walking the same path did not imply superiority or inferiority.

This sixth-stage Yang God powerhouse named Wu Fa was inviting San Sheng, offering to share his path.

Which of these fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses wouldn't envy or be excited by this?

If San Sheng agreed, he could instantly ascend to the sixth stage of Yang God.

However, something unexpected happened.

"Wu Fa, conservation. Your path is not my Dao."

San Sheng refused.

He had already seen through Wu Fa's path.

This path might be suitable for Blue Star.

Wait, what was Blue Star?

In any case, Wu Fa's path emphasized severing the connection between heaven and earth, eliminating all supernatural elements from the world.

In other words, without supernatural factors, all living beings in the world would be ordinary mortals.

Without supernatural existence, the destructive power of Dao techniques would cease to exist.

It would be impossible to truly annihilate true spirits or completely destroy matter.

Thus... conservation?

Such a path was not what San Sheng sought.

If all beings were mortals, even if "Return to Nothingness" could not affect them, such a path would still be as useless as a chicken rib.

San Sheng's refusal shocked all the fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses present.

After all, he had just rejected a path to the sixth stage of Yang God.

Some of the fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses were so frustrated they wanted to beat their chests and take San Sheng's place in accepting the offer.

Unfortunately, they were not qualified, and could only lament for San Sheng.

Others, however, secretly rejoiced. If San Sheng had missed this opportunity, would he still have a chance to reach a stage above the fifth stage of Yang God?

But at that moment, several more beams of light fell upon San Sheng.

Mysterious and profound voices, like immortal whispers, echoed.

The fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses could not clearly hear what was being said.

But they understood that these were the voices of the sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses, inviting San Sheng to walk their paths.

"This is..."

"The gap in talent between beings is truly vast."

"Which one will he choose?"

Those who could come to the Origin Mountain were all true prodigies—no, prodigies couldn't even describe them. They were peerless powerhouses.

But in front of San Sheng, they seemed utterly foolish.

Most of them watched San Sheng, paying close attention to his choice.

After all, at this moment, the traces were fluctuating, making it temporarily impossible to comprehend them.

"Your paths do not suit me," San Sheng still refused, without any hesitation.

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of all the beings present changed.

"How many did he reject?"

"Did he reject all of them?"

Although there were only a few beams of light, they couldn't count how many there were.

But from the looks of it, San Sheng had rejected every invitation.

The other fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses felt a mix of emotions.

They coveted these paths, while San Sheng treated them as worthless.

They sighed.

San Sheng's rejection of so many paths showed his ambition.

They too had ambition.

But if it were them, they would never have rejected the invitations.

No matter what, they would have ascended to the sixth stage of Yang God first.

As San Sheng rejected the offers, the traces on the Origin Mountain fell silent once more.

Seeing this, the powerhouses couldn't help but feel regret for San Sheng, though some were secretly pleased.

Would those sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses, having been rejected by San Sheng, choose them instead?

Unfortunately, those sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses were not promiscuous, nor did they keep backup options. They simply fell silent.

The others, seeing this, each with their own thoughts, returned to their contemplation.

San Sheng did the same.

However, at this moment, something peculiar was happening to him.

His consciousness also came to a halt.

"Is it you... Jing?"

San Sheng spoke, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Before him, there seemed to be a circle, infinitely looping.

This circle was like a point, a sphere, or a higher-dimensional shape.

While he had not been curious about Wu Fa's trace or the other sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses, he was deeply curious about Jing.

"Jing, or stillness, refers to the cessation of all things, or the stopping of time," San Sheng murmured.

Stopping time once was simple enough.

A fifth-stage Yang God powerhouse could stop the flow of time in an entire universe.

But what Jing pursued was the stillness of all things, all beings, the Origin Mountain, the sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses, and even "Return to Nothingness."

When all known, unknown, unknowable, and non-knowable regions, or even nothingness, were still, that was Jing.

"Your path is stillness, so you no longer exist," San Sheng said.

To still others, one must first still oneself.

Thus, this state of stillness was quite special.

"You are correct. The Dao of Stillness is the true Great Dao. When all things are still, all beings survive."

The Dao of Stillness was also a Dao of time.

However, it was a level above the Dao of time.

"Even I, lost between movement and stillness, between the past, present, and future, cannot truly comprehend the Dao of Stillness.

That is why... I called you here."

The motionless, special form spoke.

"Called me here?" San Sheng's eyes were filled with confusion.

This "calling" likely did not refer to the present.

"I observed the origin, observed the future, existing in the past, present, and future. In the final moment of 'stillness,' I pulled a thread of hope into this realm," Jing said.

The Dao of Stillness was extremely difficult, and Jing had a grand wish: to still all things, which naturally included stilling other powerhouses of the same level.

Thus, his path was fraught with thorns, always just one step away from success.

In the final moment, he used all his Dao techniques, divine abilities, and accumulated resources to pull a thread of hope from the infinite worlds.

This thread of hope was San Sheng.

In other words, San Sheng's birth was the result of Jing pulling him into existence.

"Your talent is immense. You have the qualifications to become the true 'Jing,'" Jing said.

Stillness was eternal.

Stillness was everlasting.

Stillness could resist "Return to Nothingness."

Stillness was supreme.

Stillness was omniscient and omnipotent.

Jing seemed to see San Sheng inheriting his legacy, attaining stillness.

All things would be still, but he would not.

Stillness and non-stillness would be at his whim.

All beings, all things in the myriad realms, would be under his control.

"Sorry, my path is not stillness," San Sheng shook his head.

Jing was not surprised: "I believe that after traversing endless years, you will eventually choose 'stillness.'"

As the words fell, the so-called "Jing" disappeared, and a jade slip appeared in San Sheng's hand.

"Such powerful time energy, and... stillness," San Sheng murmured.

"This is somewhat like a game jade slip. Is Jing hoping that I can truly comprehend time and the so-called movement and stillness through this?"

San Sheng muttered to himself.

This game jade slip was chaotic with time.

Through it, he could traverse the myriad realms and manipulate time.

Past, present, and future were all in chaos.

"Unfortunately, this is not my path."

"My path... is reincarnation!"

San Sheng declared.

This game jade slip could be considered a supreme treasure, something even sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses would covet.

But San Sheng paid it no mind.

His talent, his wisdom, his brilliant mind—these were his true treasures.

"It seems I need to formulate a plan to walk the path of reincarnation."

San Sheng said softly.

...

The comprehension on the Origin Mountain soon came to an end.

Many powerhouses left in despair, while others seemed to have gained some insights, deepening their understanding of the fifth stage of Yang God.

"How is San Sheng? Has he reached a stage above the fifth stage of Yang God?" an elder asked, his face filled with anxiety.

The young man looked displeased: "San Sheng hasn't come out yet. Why the rush? Even if San Sheng has gained some insights and reached the sixth stage of Yang God, it won't happen overnight."

The other fifth-stage Yang God powerhouses said nothing more.

They were all part of San Sheng's lineage and naturally hoped he could reach the sixth stage of Yang God.

Then their lineage would truly... become eternal.

"What? San Sheng rejected the path to the sixth stage of Yang God?"

"Not just one!"

"He rejected all of them!"

Hearing this, the powerhouses of the lineage were horrified.

Even the young man was somewhat surprised.

However, his face showed reverence: "As expected of Brother San Sheng, forging his own path to the sixth stage of Yang God."

The others also showed reverence.

After all, if it were them, they might have chosen the paths of those sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses.

Of course, some were filled with regret.

After all, San Sheng had been so close to becoming a sixth-stage Yang God powerhouse.

Their lineage would have soared to new heights.

When San Sheng returned, the powerhouses did not say much. They mostly offered encouragement or showed reverence.

Although they were still injured from escorting San Sheng to the Origin Mountain, no one complained.

However...

After an unknown amount of time, whispers finally began to spread.

"'Return to Nothingness' has begun again. Despite our efforts to stop it, another universe has fallen!"

"The Great Wall of the Dharma Immortal King cannot stop 'Return to Nothingness.'"

"Without a sixth-stage Yang God powerhouse, who can resist 'Return to Nothingness'?"

"Sigh, if San Sheng had reached the sixth stage of Yang God, our lineage wouldn't be so helpless against 'Return to Nothingness.'"

"We can only wait for San Sheng... to reach the sixth stage of Yang God."

"But who knows how long that will take?"

"Could it be... that he won't be able to reach it?"

"Don't say such things!"

On the other side, in his cave abode.

San Sheng opened his eyes, his gaze profound.

"The plan is finally complete."

"Reincarnation should take the Yin World, the Rebirth realm, and the Yang World as nodes.

The first step of the plan is to enter the Rebirth realm and forge reincarnation.

When Yin is born, Yang dies; when Yang is born, Yin dies. All enter reincarnation."

His idea was simple.

To turn the Rebirth realm into reincarnation.

Of course, this was extremely difficult.

After all, he was a being of the Yang World. Entering the Rebirth realm would subject him to suppression.

"The second step of the plan is to understand all beings in the Yin World, the Yang World, and the Rebirth realm."

The essence of "Return to Nothingness" was similar to powerful beings hunting the weak, depriving them of their right to exist.

He needed to understand and master the Dao techniques that annihilated true spirits and destroyed matter. Only then could he truly reincarnate those whose true spirits had been extinguished into the cycle of reincarnation.

Thus, he needed to establish a Dao lineage and understand all beings.

"The third step of the plan is the completion of reincarnation."

San Sheng murmured.

At that moment, a voice emerged from the game jade slip.

"The reincarnation you seek is interesting, no less profound than 'stillness.' But can you truly succeed?

Walking the path of 'stillness,' with Jing's accumulated knowledge, you have a ninety percent chance of success."

San Sheng frowned.

"You have no intelligence, yet you act like a system."

"Being able to speak, aren't you a bit toxic?"

With a wave of his hand, the game jade slip fell silent.

San Sheng's eyes became profound.

"Can I truly... be called 'Reincarnation' by the world?"

He felt immense pressure.

He also saw the elders of his lineage filled with expectations for him. He saw countless beings perishing in "Return to Nothingness."

What he sought also required understanding the essence of all sixth-stage Yang God powerhouses.

This was to make enemies.

"Backup plan: if reincarnation fails, then... cycle."

If reincarnation failed, he would use the cycle to achieve the Dao and resist "Return to Nothingness."