Three Thousand Great Dao

"How is the Ancestor?"

"Yes, yes, any news? Have you found a way out?"

"Look at the Ancestor’s beaming face—he must have discovered a way to leave, right?"

The crowd stared eagerly at Zheng Wu, who had just returned, their faces filled with hope. They couldn’t wait to escape this place.

"Well, uh…"

Seeing their desperate eagerness to leave, Ancestor Zheng Wu awkwardly rubbed his nose and said sheepishly, "Actually, I think… well, staying here isn’t so bad. Look at the beautiful scenery, the birds singing, the fragrant flowers, the picturesque…"

"Maybe we should just… stay?"

"What? Ancestor, you—?"

Hearing his words, the crowd’s expressions instantly darkened.

"How could you think like this, Ancestor?"

"Yes, Ancestor! Didn’t you swear you’d lead us out before?"

Their anger grew, and one of them even forgot propriety, blurting out, "Ancestor, forgive my insolence, but I must ask—did you receive some benefit or promise of gain to suddenly change your mind?"

"Nonsense!"

Zheng Wu exploded in fury.

"Do you think your Ancestor is the kind of man to abandon righteousness for profit?"

"I, Zheng Wu, have lived with honor all my life! Do you think I’d bow for mere trifles?"

Righteous indignation filled his voice as he waved his hand, summoning his most treasured artifact.

"Not even the slightest temptation could bend me! Not even a priceless treasure like this could make me yield!"

"If you don’t believe me, I’ll swear to the heavens!"

He raised the artifact high, ready to take an oath.

"No, Ancestor!"

Seeing this, the crowd immediately fell to their knees, shamefaced.

"Ancestor, we were wrong! We doubted you with petty suspicions!"

"To think you stand so noble and incorruptible! If even such a supreme treasure couldn’t sway you, then surely no mere benefit could!"

"We’ve disrespected you—please punish us according to sect law!"

They kowtowed in unison, deeply remorseful for their earlier insolence.

"How could I blame you? You acted for the sake of the Three Lives Sect."

Zheng Wu tugged at the corners of his lips, which threatened to rise too high, and clasped his hands behind his back, adopting an air of dignified austerity.

"The reason I don’t want to leave isn’t because I’ve taken up digging pits or hauling manure—it’s because I’m tired of a life of schemes and deception."

"Ancestor or not, a Daoist or not—I’m exhausted!"

"My shoulders have borne too much!"

"All I want now is a simple, peaceful life."

He raised his eyes to the sky, blinking hard, and when he lowered them again, they were red-rimmed, his face etched with weariness and melancholy.

The sight tugged at their hearts.

"Ancestor, you’ve suffered."

"If you won’t leave, then neither will we. Where you go, we follow."

They spoke as one.

"Ah, you…"

"Why must you…?"

"Fine, then stay with me!"

"But I’ve wronged you all!"

"Yet to have such loyal followers—it’s truly my honor!"

Bending down, Zheng Wu helped each of them up.

Not only did the Ancestor refuse to punish them, but he personally lifted them and even called their loyalty his honor—this filled them with boundless fervor.

Their devotion burned even brighter.

"Since that’s settled… let’s dig pits."

Zheng Wu rolled up his sleeves, his lips curling high.

Ah, the art of manipulation…

Days passed in the blink of an eye.

Zheng Wu and his Three Lives Sect disciples toiled diligently.

Then, one day—

As he dug, Zheng Wu suddenly shot into the sky, his aura surging, reeking of filth.

Yet his face was alight with ecstasy.

"This… this is the so-called ‘Path of Excrement’?"

"Hahaha, I’ve attained enlightenment!"

He hadn’t been idle these past few days.

He’d learned that manure haulers were highly valued on Dark Shadow Island.

And for good reason.

Under Lu DaSheng’s leadership, they had forged their own Dao.

Only now did he realize what an immense opportunity the Skeleton Deity had granted him with that single compliment!

The Great Dao numbered three thousand.

Some paths were strong, others weak.

The Dao realms were, in essence, about comprehending the Dao. The early stages—the Dao-Touching Realm and the Dao-Unity Realm—were merely foundations.

"Touching the Dao" meant gaining the qualification to perceive the true Dao.

"Uniting with the Dao" meant finding one’s own path and merging with it.

Only after that could one step into the Dao-Unity Realm.

And beyond that lay the true mastery—Proving the Dao!

Zheng Wu had been stuck in the Dao-Unity Realm for years, unable to find his path. Not even the weakest of the three thousand Daos would accept him.

So he’d long abandoned hope of advancing further.

Yet here he was, on Dark Shadow Island for mere days, and he’d found his Dao—the Path of Excrement!

A Dao outside the three thousand!

Of course, this wasn’t unheard of.

History’s most monstrous talents had occasionally fused with paths beyond the orthodox three thousand—and without exception, they became legends.

Because while the standard Daos had well-known counters, these "unorthodox paths" were wildcards in battle.

How could Zheng Wu not be ecstatic?

Not only had he united with a Dao—

But one beyond the three thousand!