Legend was that when a person obtained the Dao discussion stage’s recognition, after becoming the winner, the Dao discussion stage would give them a reward.
Of course, such a thing was nothing more than a legend. That was because it had not occurred throughout all of known history. After so long, people had almost forgotten about this legend, viewing the Dao discussion stage as nothing more than a tool.
However, the three balls of light in front of Long Chen were that legendary reward. This ancient divine item was giving him a reward, which had to be a supreme treasure.
Long Chen was also surprised. There was such a good thing? Eyeing the three balls of light, he understood that he had to pick one.
Without hesitation, Long Chen thrust his hand into the middle ball. He trusted that he would definitely pick the worst one.
When his hand entered, he didn’t find anything. But suddenly, a prick of pain struck his palm, and he instinctively retracted his hand.
As the three balls of lightning vanished, Long Chen noticed a lightning rune on his palm.
The rune flashed a few times and then vanished. After that, a name appeared in Long Chen’s mind.
“World Extermination Lightning Radiance!”
Long Chen’s heart pounded wildly. The Dao discussion stage hadn’t given him a physical treasure but an ancient lightning art. This was a lightning art that he had never come into contact with before. To be called World Extermination, was it like his World Extermination Flame Lotus?
Seeing his delighted expressions, countless people were jealous, especially the other elders that had been part of the Dao discussion. They wanted to tear him apart.
The Dao discussion competition had ended, but the divine light of the stage didn’t fade. It continued to flow around Long Chen, making him appear like a celestial god.
“Boss San, I wish to ask, as a cultivator, how can you make sure that you don’t lose right at the starting line?” asked an expert below the stage with a bow.
The competition had ended but the convention hadn’t. This was now the time for the champion to expound on the Dao to everyone. Anyone could answer questions at this time, but of course, there was no reward or punishment to speak of.
Long Chen put away his chair and sat lotus style. His expression gradually grew solemn. He said, “In this world, there is no such starting line. That’s just what a group with ulterior motives uses to con others. In life, it doesn’t matter who runs the fastest or who looks the best running. What matters is who can run the furthest. Some people walk with their own two legs. Some people use horses. Some people use flying boats. Because their direction, speed, and viewpoint are all different, every person sees different scenery. I have said that there is no such thing as the other shore, so even if walking is slow, you will still see sceneries that have slipped past other people. You will have more time to calm your heart and comprehend the Dao. As your mental realm rises, the immortal path’s mist grows clearer. You will gain a pair of wise eyes that can see further. On the other hand, a flying boat might be fast, but many people are blind to their speed. It is unknown just how many people end up crashing into cliffs and killing themselves like this.”
“What nonsense. People start running as soon as they are born. If you run too slow, you will be trampled by others. The cultivation world is one where the weak are devoured by the strong. If you are weak, I can kill you and take your riches. Who has time to look at sceneries? How laughable,” sneered one of the elders that had been eliminated.
His words made the other experts nod. This was truly the case. If they didn’t run with all they had, they wouldn’t be able to even protect their own lives, let alone comprehend anything.
“You are the one spouting nonsense. Your realm might be higher than mine, but do you believe me when I say that I can cut off your head in just three exchanges?” sneered Long Chen.
As soon as he said this, an uproar exploded. As expected of Boss Long San, his tone was truly arrogant. This elder was a Divine Lord expert.
“You… your heart is far too narrow and wild to be an instructor!” raged the elder.
Long Chen sneered, “Your cultivation base is completely empty, and you lack any real power. A powerless chicken also dares to say big words? Then why don’t you tell me what the starting line is? Who drew the starting line? Is everyone on the same line? Who referees? How can it be fair? Are you going to bring a monkey, elephant, tiger, fish, and tortoise together, draw a line in front of a tree, and say ‘to be fair, whoever climbs up this tree first is the champion?’ What absolute nonsense. Everyone has their own specialties. Isn’t that why there are countless styles of cultivation? How can there be the same starting line for everyone? In the same vein, some seeds bloom first, and some bear fruit first. Some also never bloom or bear fruit. Are those plants all trash? Have they all lost right at the starting line? If it doesn’t bear fruit or flower, who can say whether or not it will one day become a towering tree? It might fall behind others in a short time, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t overtake them later. Who dares to guarantee that someone whose cultivation base lags behind or whose talent is inferior to others won’t one day obtain soaring success thanks to building a solid foundation? It seems that there are quite a few cases of such a thing throughout history, right? For example, the Nine Revolution Heavenly King Han Yinglie, the Hell Ghost Slayer Lu Qingkong, the Hundred Flower Valley’s patriarch, Wan Liyi…”
Long Chen listed off over thirty names before continuing, “Those people all started off mediocre and were looked down upon by others. However, they later became towering figures that shook their times, and their names continue to be passed down through history. Let me say it again, running fast isn’t the goal, it’s running further. You don’t even understand this, yet you have the face to be an instructor? You are completely misleading all your disciples.”
Long Chen directly retorted to that elder’s mocking, not being the slightest bit cautious.
“Absolute nonsense! Cultivators must maintain their sharpness and fearless determination to advance through thorns. The path of cultivation is like pushing a boat upstream. If you aren’t advancing, you are regressing. You are simply giving yourself an excuse to be lazy. You will cripple countless people’s cultivation with your words! You are not fit to be an instructor!” A new person spoke up. It was the Nine Flower Sect’s Ji Li.
“How laughable. Sharpness and determination to pierce through thorns? You have the face to discuss sharpness and determination with me? You created a clone to wander throughout the world precisely because you are a coward afraid of death. All the instructors on the Dao discussion stage other than me have done the same thing,” scoffed Long Chen.
“How can a novice in the Divine Flame realm even speak of clones?” sneered Ji Li.
Only Divine Lord experts were capable of condensing a clone. In the immortal world, the majority of Divine Lord experts chose to create such a clone because that was equivalent to another life.
Long Chen sneered, “Idiot, do you not know that creating a clone will be a barrier blocking you from ascending into an Immortal King?”
