Chapter Fifty-Six: A New Theory of Chaos

Amidst a stretch of rolling mountains, birdsong and floral fragrance drift through towering ancient trees, their vast, flourishing canopies shutting out sunlight. Life pulses and gathers among the woods, coalescing into a somber energy. Within this gloom, a woman in violet robes sits, attuned to the shifting forces around her. After a moment, she opens her eyes, murmuring in frustration, “It’s still no use… My field of shadow force is too fragile, easily disturbed by outside influences. I just can’t fathom how Senior Brother maintains his shadow force without it dissipating…” This woman is none other than Hua Ziye, who remains within the Primeval Secret Realm.

She had once followed Wuya into the Ghost Mountain of Luofu to cultivate, and had only returned to the secret realm a few days prior. Since then, she had been pondering the mysteries of yin and yang force fields. Yet, despite her innate talent, she had reached a bottleneck, unable to break through for the time being.

As Hua Ziye brooded, she suddenly sensed a foreign pulse interfering with the secret realm, as if attempting to enter it.

Alert, Hua Ziye quickly rushed out of the dense forest—and sure enough, a spectral figure appeared out of nowhere, entering the secret realm. Hua Ziye was startled, for the domain gate of the secret realm was not something anyone could open.

Before she could speak, the figure addressed her first, “Is Elder Xi here?”

“Why are you looking for my master?” Hua Ziye asked warily.

The figure replied, “I have urgent matters to inquire about,” and seemed about to proceed further.

Hua Ziye quickly blocked the way, insisting, “This is a secret realm—you can’t just wander around… Stop—”

“Ziye!” Wuya’s voice suddenly rang out. Hua Ziye turned to see a long-haired young man floating swiftly toward her, his soul form radiant and pure, like celestial light. He was her senior brother, Wuya.

Wuya gently pulled Hua Ziye aside, bowed respectfully to the figure, and said, “My master awaits Elder Xuan in the pavilion. My junior sister was careless—please forgive her.”

Elder Xuan chuckled, “No matter, no matter. Please, lead the way.”

“Right this way, Elder Xuan.” Wuya turned to guide him, casting a meaningful glance at Hua Ziye. With that, he and Elder Xuan vanished swiftly into the depths of the secret realm.

Watching their retreating forms, Hua Ziye pondered in confusion, murmuring, “Elder Xuan… that name sounds familiar…” Suddenly, her eyes widened. “Heavens, Elder Xuan—isn’t he the one my benefactor mentioned, the head of the Xuan Yi Center?” Realizing this, she hurried after them.

When Hua Ziye arrived before the high-cliff pavilion, Elder Xuan and her master were already deep in conversation, with Wuya standing outside.

Wuya approached her. “Why aren’t you cultivating, but running around here?”

Hua Ziye peered at Elder Xuan. “Senior Brother, is that old man really the head of the Xuan Yi Center?”

Wuya nodded. “Yes, what of it?”

“I wanted to ask him about my benefactor’s well-being,” Hua Ziye said, scratching her head.

Wuya patted her gently, whispering, “Don’t disturb them. Master and Elder Xuan are discussing important matters.”

Within the pavilion, Elder Xi smiled at Elder Xuan. “What matter compels you to appear personally with your original form? Wouldn’t a spirit transmission suffice? Locating this secret realm must have taken some time?”

Elder Xuan replied, “Not long—just a few minutes.”

Elder Xi was taken aback, though his composure soon returned. “There are hundreds or thousands of secret realms on Earth, all in constant motion. To pinpoint my Primeval Secret Realm so swiftly is truly remarkable.”

“Not at all. To be honest, I came in person because the matter is far too significant; a spirit transmission could be intercepted by the Void Spirits, and time is short. So I used my original incarnation.”

“Hmm… it seems the matter is indeed extraordinary. Speak, then,” Elder Xi said with a faint smile.

Elder Xuan nodded, “Elder Xi, the Burial Clan has appeared in the mortal world, and they are attacking us at the second Tomb of Ten Thousand Corpses. The battle continues even now.”

Hearing this, Elder Xi’s expression faltered. “Burial… There’s been no trace of them for hundreds of millions of years. Why appear now…”

“Indeed. I am puzzled as well. They seem to stand opposed to us, and possess formidable strength. Elder Xi, you understand the Third Epoch best. I wish to ask—what exactly is the Burial Clan? I want to know their true history.”

Elder Xuan spoke bluntly.

“Wuya, the tea is a bit bland. Replace it,” Elder Xi called out.

Wuya promptly stepped forward, respectfully removed the tea kettle, and withdrew with Hua Ziye.

Elder Xi rose, lightly stroking his silver beard as he gazed at the surging sea of clouds. He remained silent, and Elder Xuan grew impatient; at last, Elder Xi spoke slowly, “As a descendant of the Xuan Clan, versed in the Dao of yin and yang, you surely know the ancient saying: ‘When yin and yang reverse, chaos forms spontaneously.’”

Elder Xuan nodded. “Of course. The original phrase is: ‘Yin and yang separate and create all things; when they unite, chaos is born. Chaos reverses, chaos is achieved.’ What of it?”

Elder Xi smiled. “The Fifth Epoch now divides science and metaphysics too rigidly. Yet, the phrase is easy to understand on its surface: it uses yin and yang to explain the cycle of all things, the path of heaven and earth. But in truth, it is also a prophecy. The universe is vast, its mysteries infinite. No matter what being, they perceive only one facet of the cosmos. The universe’s multifaceted nature is unfathomable. Where we exist now is a plane where yin and yang coexist—in fact, it is a borderland between two vast planes. This borderland, where yin and yang merge and cancel each other, was once devoid of life, pure emptiness. Until the emergence of the Dao, which divided chaos, separated yin and yang, and from their union, all things arose. Like so—” Elder Xi dipped his finger in cooling tea and drew two overlapping circles on the stone table, pointing to the intersection, “This is where we live.”

Elder Xuan gazed at the circles, contemplative, as if enlightenment dawned.

Elder Xi, reading his expression, said meaningfully, “Have you realized something? Indeed, this is a cycle. The plane we inhabit is highly unstable. Though the Dao restrains it, maintaining yin-yang balance, these two vast planes are ever separating and merging. The timespan from complete fusion to total separation is unimaginable. Yet, whether they fully merge or fully separate, it spells disaster for us.”

“If they separate entirely, our plane disappears; if they merge completely, we become exposed to innumerable powerful unknowns…” Elder Xuan drew a sharp breath.

Elder Xi affirmed, “Precisely. Our plane exists only because the two vast planes intermingle; if they separate, our plane vanishes. Those two vast planes, however, have existed since time immemorial—who knows what entities are born within them.”

He paused, then resumed, “At the dawn of the Third Epoch, the first life forms emerged. There was no concept of gods or demons, nor of humans. We called this first generation ‘the Source.’ Over time, these beings evolved the earliest intelligence, called ‘Spirits.’ These spirits comprehended the heavens and earth, unlocked their genetic codes, and gained unparalleled power. They called themselves gods. Gods adhered to natural laws, cultivating themselves. Yet some gods disagreed, preferring self-indulgence and freedom. Other gods derided this as the demonic path. Whether god or demon, their cultivation never transcended the boundary of life, remaining within survival. But there was a group of spirits who differed—they cultivated not for life, but began with death.”

“If gods practice the path of yang, these spirits followed the path of yin. Now, this makes sense: our plane is, after all, the confluence of yin and yang—where there’s cultivation of yang, there must be cultivation of yin. One yin and one yang is balance. But at that time, yin and yang were opposed, life and death conflicted. Even gods and demons feared death greatly. Thus, those cultivating the yin path were suppressed by gods and demons. Eventually, the Third Epoch saw the grandest, most brutal war: the Celestial-Yin War.”

“That war was so vast and bloody as to defy imagination. The First and Second World Wars of the Fifth Epoch pale in comparison. The Celestial-Yin War drastically reduced the number of life forms, a true catastrophe. To further terrify and mock the gods and demons, those on the yin path called themselves the Burial Clan.”

“But the gods and demons dominated the Third Epoch. The Burial Clan was defeated and exiled. At the height of the Celestial-Yin War, both sides discovered the secret of the twin realms: the two vast planes, Extreme Yang and Extreme Yin. The gods pursued ascension toward Extreme Yang, while the Burial Clan sought Extreme Yin. The war ended, and with the arrival of the Void Spirits, the Third Epoch concluded.”

Elder Xuan’s gaze was grave. After a pause, he said, “Extreme Yang and Extreme Yin—are these the legendary realms of the living and the dead? And our world isn’t truly the realm of the living…”

Elder Xi did not speak, but his expression confirmed Elder Xuan’s suspicion.

Elder Xuan looked at Elder Xi, “So, in confronting the Burial Clan, does the Path of Corpses stand any chance?”

Elder Xi replied, “Life-and-death struggle, fate decided in a moment—no one can predict the outcome. I can only tell you: the Burial Clan embodies yin, but the Path of Corpses is the fusion of yin and yang. Its philosophy surpasses mere balance; balance means little to the Path of Corpses. It seeks fusion, a qualitative transformation of yin and yang, a new existence—what we often call chaos. Speaking of chaos, let me ask: what is chaos, really?”

Elder Xuan answered, “Chaos is the undifferentiated state before the universe’s formation, when qi, form, and substance are united—a primal phase of the five great cosmic beginnings. ‘The wise governed with yin and yang; all tangible things arise from the intangible, so how could heaven and earth be born? Thus, there is the Great Ease, the Great Beginning, the Great Origin, and the Great Substance. The Great Ease is the absence of qi; the Great Beginning is the birth of qi; the Great Origin is the birth of form; the Great Substance is the birth of substance. When qi, form, and substance exist but are not yet separated, that is chaos. Chaos means all things are mixed and not yet distinct.’”

Elder Xi laughed and nodded, “The doctrine of the five great cosmic beginnings.”

At this moment, Wuya returned with the tea kettle, setting it on the stone table. He was about to withdraw when Elder Xi stopped him, “Wuya, let me ask you—what is chaos?”

Wuya was startled, then replied, “Chaos is the origin of heaven and earth, the mother of yin and yang, and the source of the cycle of birth and death.”

Elder Xi nodded—though Wuya’s answer was succinct, it matched Elder Xuan’s in meaning. Then Elder Xi turned to Hua Ziye standing outside the pavilion, “Ziye, step forward. Tell me, what is your understanding of chaos?”

“Chaos?” Hua Ziye blinked, thinking carefully. “Perhaps it is the end of death, the beginning of life, the darkness before dawn, the tranquility after a storm, the ultimate stillness before movement.”

Her words left all three present deep in thought. Elder Xi himself seemed to gain sudden insight. After a moment, Elder Xuan exchanged glances with Elder Xi, then burst into hearty laughter, “Elder Xi, it seems your disciple’s grasp of the cycle surpasses even yours. A fine explanation! Chaos is not the origin of all things, but one stage within the cycle.”

Elder Xi’s smile turned a bit embarrassed—he mulled over Hua Ziye’s words and realized a new understanding, exclaiming, “Shame on me! Ziye’s words have awakened me from a dream. The Path of Corpses is not as simple as we imagined, nor is chaos what we thought. Throughout history, people’s understanding of chaos has always been somewhat misguided.”

Hua Ziye looked at them, puzzled, fearing she had said something wrong. She hurriedly said, “I spoke rashly; please forgive me, Master and Elder Xuan.”

“No, no, you spoke very well. I am no longer worried about the Path of Corpses falling to defeat. The Burial Clan cannot overcome it. Elder Xi, congratulations on accepting such a prodigy. Time is pressing—I must take my leave, and will return to express my thanks another day.” With that, Elder Xuan’s original incarnation vanished, leaving Elder Xi deep in contemplation.