Chapter 158 - 158 155 Chao Wendao Content to Die by Evening - The Battle in Journey to the West - NovelsTime

The Battle in Journey to the West

Chapter 158 - 158 155 Chao Wendao Content to Die by Evening

Author: Monkey King
updatedAt: 2025-07-14

Chapter 158: Chapter 155: Chao Wendao, Content to Die by Evening Chapter 158: Chapter 155: Chao Wendao, Content to Die by Evening Meanwhile, Enlightenment Dao had stayed at Shushan, meditating on the true meaning of the Sword Dao of Patriarch Song Lun of the Shushan Sword Sect. Time passed unconsciously.

One day, he abruptly opened his eyes. The Seven Stars Sword on his back unsheathed instantly, its brilliance soaring into the sky. Gripping the sword, he performed a dance with it amidst Sword Cliff.

“Sword Leading Immortal Flight!” He thrust out violently with his sword, as if a Heavenly Immortal was descending to the mortal realm. This thrust was incredibly dazzling, almost bringing the Sword Dao to its ultimate perfection.

This sword technique was Song Lun’s ultimate move, named Sword Leading Immortal Flight. Once executed, it was like an Immortal flying beyond the heavens, elusive as an antelope hanging by its horns and incredibly fast! It’s often said in the mundane world, “In all martial arts, nothing is unbreakable except speed!” This saying also applies to the Sword Dao, where speed breaks all techniques.

Enlightenment Dao returned the sword into its sheath, bowed towards the character ‘Sword’ on the cliff, and said, “This humble Daoist is forever grateful to the elder Song Lun for leaving behind this character, allowing me to comprehend his divine Sword Dao powers. I am deeply thankful, and having formed a bond with Shushan, should there be any trouble here in the future, this Daoist will surely not hesitate to help.”

Enlightenment Dao could even comprehend the character ‘Sword’ in the Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal, let alone the character left by Song Lun. However, the spirit and will left by Song Lun were immensely powerful. Enlightenment Dao first needed to connect with his spirit, gain its approval, and only then could he receive the inheritance contained within this character. This inheritance was not some specific Magical Treasure but the essence of the Sword Dao as understood by Song Lun, only accessible to those approved by him. Although Shushan had many talented individuals, few could truly grasp its essence.

Enlightenment Dao turned his head and saw Venerable Ape still staring absentmindedly at the character he had written. Clearly, he had not yet comprehended it. Comprehending the Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal was not so easy; it required great opportunities and great fortitude, not achievable by just anyone.

Suddenly, Enlightenment Dao saw specks of light starting to appear on Venerable Ape’s body, gradually drifting toward the sky and scattering.

Enlightenment Dao reached out to catch one, feeling as if his fingers were about to disappear. He hurriedly tossed it away and exclaimed, “Oh no, this old monkey is about to ascend through Dao transformation.”

Ascension through Dao means that one’s entire being merges into the Heavenly Dao, both the Primordial Spirit and the physical body dissolve, often described as being one with Dao. In simpler terms, it means complete annihilation of form and spirit, making reincarnation impossible.

The only times one encounters Dao transformation are during a deviation into madness, when one delves too deeply, aligning their entire Primordial Spirit with Dao principles until they can no longer emerge, or when an adversary uses great divine power to assimilate an enemy with Dao, using its power to annihilate them. This divine skill is terrifying and not something average individuals can learn; if not qualified, they might end up being assimilated themselves.

Humans are like raindrops, which maintain their individuality in the air, while Dao is like the ocean. When a raindrop falls into the ocean, is it not assimilated? Dao is boundless; even Saints cannot survive Dao transformation.

Venerable Ape was so obsessed with the Sword Dao that he reached the point of deviation into madness, committing himself to the Sword Dao, and was now on the brink of Dao transformation, about to return to the heavens completely.

In his current state, no one dared to touch him, lest they be assimilated into the Heavenly Dao alongside him.

Enlightenment Dao executed the Buddhist Lion’s Roar with a Lion Seal, shouting, “Venerable Ape, if you do not awaken now, when will you?”

Venerable Ape’s body trembled, and he suddenly opened his eyes, but the specks of light continued to float up, one by one, each causing his physical body to lose a piece.

Venerable Ape suddenly laughed loudly towards the sky, saying, “I have comprehended it!”

He drew the Sword Artifact from behind his back and slowly wrote the character ‘Sword’ from the Xia Dynasty Dragon Seal in the void. A tremendous burst of Sword Qi erupted, sweeping across the entire Sword Cliff, nearly causing Enlightenment Dao to lose his footing.

As Venerable Ape continued his Dao transformation, this trend could no longer be stopped, yet he was not disheartened; instead, he laughed heartily.

With a calm expression, Enlightenment Dao suddenly sighed, “Venerable Ape, although you have comprehended it, you are also about to undergo Dao transformation.”

Venerable Ape raised his eyebrows and said to Enlightenment Dao, “Old Ape I have lived for the sword and naturally will die for the sword too! Though undergoing Dao transformation, I have comprehended the true essence of Sword Dao. What is there to regret? You are obsessed, my friend.”

Enlightenment Dao remained silent.

Venerable Ape looked up at the sky, his body slowly breaking apart, and said calmly, “In this world, there is something more important than life itself! My sword is more important than my life. Since I have comprehended the true meaning of Sword Dao, even if it’s just for a moment, what is there to regret?”

Enlightenment Dao sighed, “If I hadn’t written this character, I wouldn’t have caused this, I truly feel remorseful.”

However, Venerable Ape laughed loudly, “Ha-ha, ha-ha! I should thank you for allowing me to comprehend the true meaning and mystery of the Sword Dao. ‘To hear the Dao in the morning is to die content in the evening!'”

His body became more ethereal, yet he did not show any sadness or the agony of impending death, only a lofty composure͏. He had attained his own Dao, comprehended the true meaning of Sword Dao, and though undergoing Dao transformation, what was there to regret? Venerable Ape had been obsessed with the Sword Dao his entire life, since he ingested a Transformation Fruit, entered the mortal world, saw swordsmanship for the first time, deeply enthralled thereafter, and eventually becoming a Sword Immortal after long cultivation defeated by Lady Yue and retreating to the mountains to meditate deeply. His life, like a sword, was brave and progressive, tenacious without compromise, dying with no regrets.

Enlightenment Dao bowed and said, “Venerable Ape, your enlightenment is truly humbling for me too!”

Venerable Ape roared, soaring into the sky, “My friend, I am leaving! Here is my Sword Manual for you.” A Sword Manual fell from the sky.

It was the ‘Old Ape Swordsmanship.’ Enlightenment Dao caught it and tucked it into his bosom, looking up at the sky.

As Venerable Ape shouted from above, “Fellow Daoists of Shushan, old Ape is leaving! This departure is likely irreversible. If any of my old friends ask, please tell them.”

He had completely transformed into Dao, numerous large spots of light shed from his body and ascended into the sky, converging into the Heavenly Dao.

The sword cultivators of Shushan were greatly astonished and came out to observe, just in time to see Venerable Ape soar into the sky and transform into Dao.

After Enlightenment Dao left Sword Cliff, he happened to meet Green Duckweed Daoist. As they ran into each other, Green Duckweed Daoist asked, “Fellow Daoist Enlightenment Dao, what happened with Venerable Ape?”

Enlightenment Dao sighed and said, “Fellow Daoist Venerable Ape realized the Sword Dao, deviated into madness, and has now transformed back into Dao.”

“Transformed into Dao?”

Green Duckweed Daoist was slightly startled and still couldn’t react. After a long while, he couldn’t help but beat his chest and stamp his feet, sighing, “Venerable Ape was a model among us sword practitioners, his transformation into Dao means that the Sword Dao has lost another prodigy. Alas, it is truly sad and lamentable!”

Enlightenment Dao then advised, “Fellow Daoist, there is no need to be sad. Venerable Ape was obsessed with Sword Dao all his life, valuing the sword as his own life. To outsiders, such obsession never ends well, but they don’t know that they are actually enjoying it. Venerable Ape’s transformation into Dao was also his destiny. Yet, he did not show a trace of sadness in his transformation, which truly makes me feel inferior! Such an unbridled person, it’s the first time I’ve seen in my life.”

Enjoying themselves, seeking their own comfort. All say the obsessed are foolish, yet they don’t understand that this is their life, their Dao.

Enlightenment Dao felt that his own nature was quite unbridled too, but compared to Venerable Ape, he still fell short. Venerable Ape was not at all dismayed at his transformation, but was rather happy, feeling that having heard the Dao in the morning, he could die in the evening, and that was enough! His entire life, in that moment of transformation, had reached its peak. For a person like Venerable Ape who was obsessed with Sword Dao, to die at his peak was eternal, or perhaps it couldn’t even be called death. His obsession with the Sword Dao was now one with heaven and earth, urging countless future sword cultivators to strive to follow in his footsteps.

Green Duckweed Daoist, after hearing this, couldn’t help but nod slightly and said, “Just now, the Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch issued a decree, and the Jade Void Palace is discussing the Great Dao, are you going?”

Enlightenment Dao shook his head and said, “I will not go, fellow Daoist. You go ahead! I still have important matters to attend to, and I can’t delay.”

Green Duckweed Daoist then said, “Well, it’s rare to hear a Saint speak on the Dao, and it is indeed a great opportunity, a pity to miss. Fellow Daoist, please do as you wish, I will go now!”

Enlightenment Dao nodded and said, “Please!”

Green Duckweed Daoist rode his sword on the wind, went up to the Southern Sky Gate, and directly headed to Jade Pure Sky to listen to Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch speak on the Dao.

The Daoist Equal to Heaven was already in Jade Pure Sky listening to Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch speak on the Dao. Going there would be just superfluous.

Enlightenment Dao thought to himself, “This Venerable Ape is really unbridled, but I can’t achieve such unbridledness. I still need to busy myself with matters before and after me, and who knows when I will be able to step out of that shadow! In this life, I have come across too many secrets. The Swallowing Dragon Stele could see through my origins at a glance, and the person in the coffin didn’t find it surprising, what exactly is in that coffin?”

He had now seen three Black Coffins and received four Swallowing Dragon Steles. He could not thoroughly research the runes on these steles. With his mana, it wasn’t enough to support the computation of so many Xia Dynasty Dragon Seals. If he forced it, he might end up transforming into Dao like Venerable Ape.

Enlightenment Dao thought, “I’ll return to Flower-Fruit Mountain to see how my brothers are doing nowadays and also practice more to break through to the Third Level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal sooner.”

The Trinity was really too convenient, but it required too much True Qi.

While Wukong was studying the teachings of Patriarch Subhuti beneath the Five Elements Mountain, Enlightenment Dao was accumulating True Qi to reach a higher realm, and Daoist Equal to Heaven was practicing Magical Powers and Spells to enhance his combat capabilities. The three of them practicing simultaneously, although the consumption of True Qi was too great, was a chance not comparable to ordinary people.

Enlightenment Dao stayed in Shushan for another day, and early the next morning, he went to find Xu Hai and Xu Qing, expressing his intention to leave.

After they tried to retain him multiple times and seeing that Enlightenment Dao was determined, they reported to an Elder. The Elders of Shushan came to see him off, giving him some medicinal herbs and Dan Pills upon departure, which Enlightenment Dao accepted without hesitation, with a smile.

“This poor Daoist, not knowing when he will be able to meet you fellow Daoists again! If there’s anything, just send a Jade Talisman message,” Enlightenment Dao said with a smile.

“Safe travels, fellow Daoist!” the Elders of Shushan said, bowing their hands.

This time Shushan had survived this calamity, all thanks to the fellow Daoists who came to help, for which they were naturally immensely grateful.

Enlightenment Dao said, “I’m off!”

As soon as he spoke, he was seen riding the clouds and driving the fog. In an instant, he had disappeared.

To find out what happens next, please await the following episode.

PS: I still haven’t recovered from the cold, but it’s much more comfortable now, thank you for all your concerns.

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