Amidst the brilliant radiance, the [Tribulation Wave] slowly emerged.
In the next second, sword light condensed, and a form leaped out from within. Flesh and skin grew out of nothing, forming a lovely young Daoist child.
The Daoist child had red lips and white teeth, wearing no mortal clothes. Her whole body was like a piece of beautiful suet jade, completely natural. Her beautiful eyes were full of spirituality, with a bit of charming naivety in her bewildered expression. She looked around blankly until she saw Lu Yang, then her eyes lit up and she hurriedly knelt down:
"Avici greets Master!"
Lu Yang was stunned upon hearing this, then reacted and smiled. "[Avici] is in the past. Now that you are reborn, using this name is no longer appropriate."
This girl was none other than the sword spirit of the Avici Sword from back then.
When Lu Yang reforged this sword years ago, the sword spirit also changed her appearance as a result. He didn't expect that after being promoted to a true treasure now, she would revert to her former appearance as a Daoist child.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang smiled and said:
"Although you are a sword spirit, you have gained spiritual wisdom and have an affinity with me. Calling you directly by the sword name would be too distant... From now on, you will be called Ming He."
Lu Yang gave the sword spirit his Daoist title from his previous life in the Sword Pavilion. After all, after restarting, even [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] who once personally gave him this title, no longer recognized this name. Since the sword spirit and he were originally one, giving this name could be considered leaving a memory in his heart.
The little Daoist child didn't have as many thoughts as Lu Yang.
Hearing the name Lü Yang had chosen, joy immediately showed on that delicate, adorableface. She respectfully bowed and said crisply:
"Thank you, master!"
As her voice fell, little Daoist Ming He twisted her body and merged back into the sword light. Then, with a clang of the sword, the sword light landed in Lu Yang's hand.
The brand-new [Tribulation Wave]... indeed has an enhancement.
For a spirit treasures, advancing to a true treasure was like a Foundation Establishment Perfected One advancing to a Golden Core Perfected Lord. The resulting qualitative change would be uniformly converged on one divine wonder.
For the [Righteous Dao Banner], this divine wonder was [Enlightenment].
The ability of this divine wonder to strip people's will and could even affect Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao for a moment, and it was even more effective against unorthodox perfected lords.
Similarly, the same was true for the [Tribulation Wave].
The divine wonder born after it was promoted to a true treasure was named [Revolution of Law].
Taking into account the concept of [Heavenly Fire] establishing rules, the concept of extinguishing law of the Celestial Court's [Taiyang] lineage, and some characteristics of [Inscription of Heaven]...
Lu Yang closed his eyes slightly, silently comprehending.
What is [Revolution of Law]?
Revolution means change! Revolution of Law is reform. Since there is revolution, how can there be no bloodshed?
Break first then establish; establishment follows destruction. This is the true meaning of revolution!
The effects of [Revolution of Law] were twofold.
First, Severing Dao. As the name suggests, it can sever dao fruit concepts. If severed enough times, it can even sever dao fruit profound wonder.
Second, Inscribing Dao.
As the name suggests, it can inscribe within others' dao fruit concepts, adding some new things, tampering with their foundation, and causing their concepts to change.
Quite a useful divine wonder!
In the next second, the [Righteous Dao Banner] spontaneously awakened, resonating with the [Tribulation Wave]. Infinite concepts born from this surrounded Lu Yang, like stars arching around the moon.
[Dao-Seeking Immortal Method]?
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow slightly. He had seen Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer use the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] before and he knew it was a technique only mid-stage Golden Core cultivators could master.
Only with the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] could the grotto-heaven be kept from falling.
Moreover, when activating the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method], a perfected lord's stature would also receive a considerable boost, forming a stature suppression against the Early Stage of the Golden Core.
Although this suppression hadn't reached the extent of crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood like Foundation Establishment against Qi Refining, it was enough to determine the outcome in a battle between the Middle Stage and Early Stage. victory. Only the most brilliant perfected lord might possibly achieve the feat of defeating a mid-stage opponent while at the early-stage when facing this stature suppression.
Am I going to condense the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method]?
Lu Yang comprehended carefully, but his brow gradually furrowed: No... This thing points to [Heavenly Fire] and having little to do with me.
This was also only natural.
After all, both true treasures were based on the concept of [Heavenly Fire]. It was perfectly normal for the condensed [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] to lean towards [Heavenly Fire].
But Lu Yang didn't think so.
Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer... Her immortal method didn't have such a great connection with [Jeweled Hairpin Gold]. Why is my immortal method close to [Heavenly Fire]?
This is not right!
Ever since realizing the importance of void attainment, Lu Yang had focused on void attainment, and the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] was the prerequisite step for void attainment.
However, if the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] ultimately pointed to [Heavenly Fire], what would he attain through the void in the end? Attain another [Heavenly Fire]? Or... simply merge into [Heavenly Fire], attaining nothing, but becoming nourishment for [Heavenly Fire] instead?
This is not the path I want to take!
In an instant, Lu Yang sobered up. If he continued down this direction, he would certainly become stronger quickly, but he would also be completely assimilated!
What I want is transcendence.
[Heavenly Fire] is my nourishment.
I must break free!
But soon, he returned to calm. There was no problem for now. The Great Dao was not achieved overnight, and so-called void attainment was not imagination out of thin air.
Imitate first, then surpass!
Two true treasures leaning towards [Heavenly Fire], this is fine.
The key lies in the third true treasure. This true treasure cannot be related to [Heavenly Fire] anymore. I must walk my own Dao path.
As the saying goes:
For a perfected lord, although the dao fruit is very important, it is just a tool. A perfected lord's foundation is always their own grotto-heaven— their own Dao path!
Before, Lu Yang had never felt this sentence so deeply. At the same time, at the moment this realization arose in his heart, he suddenly felt enlightened. A door that had always been tightly closed suddenly opened to him, allowing him to see a brand-new boundless world!
"What is... that?"
Lu Yang looked up, as if seeing a boundless ocean. Every drop of water in it was a concept, churning like seawater!
On a whim, a name leaped to his mind:
[Sea of Bitterness]
"Hiss!"
Lu Yang sucked in a breath of cold air—he knew of the [Sea of Bitterness]. It was a high-stature place located above the Foundation Establishment Realm, and also the location of the dao fruit's main body.
However, only now did he understand the true meaning of the [Sea of Bitterness].
All living beings, large and small world realms, everything that exists in this world inevitably has its concept. And the convergence of these concepts formed the [Sea of Bitterness].
Previously, I could see the [Sea of Bitterness] and ride the wind and waves in it because I had the dao fruit as a reliance, just like a person with a boat can survive in the ocean... But now, without relying on [Heavenly Fire], I came here solely on my own dao comprehension.
Lu Yang felt enlightened.
Before, he looked at the [Sea of Bitterness] like a leaf blocking his vision, knowing it existed but not knowing why. Only at this moment did he truly see the [Sea of Bitterness]!
In the next second, Lu Yang's expression changed abruptly.
Because the moment he saw the [Sea of Bitterness], the sea also saw him. Rolling waters of concepts poured back towards him in an instant!
Rumble!
Lu Yang's gaze focused. With the [Tribulation Wave] in hand, sword light cleaved waves and cut down surges—barely blocking the water of the [Sea of Bitterness]. Then his expression gradually changed.
The water of the [Sea of Bitterness] can be absorbed!
After all, it's essentially transformed from a concepts—Lu Yang's [Heavenly Pillar Profound Governance Grotto-Heaven] could completely absorb it to strengthen itself, and even balance the Five Elements!
But soon, Lu Yang frowned again because he found that absorbing these waters of the [Sea of Bitterness] was very difficult. Too many concepts were mixed together; some were not beneficial but harmful to the grotto-heaven. Only after he severed them with the [Tribulation Wave] could he carefully select and absorb them.
However, improving the grotto-heaven this way consumed a lot of his own energy.
Before long, Lu Yang felt that fifty or sixty percent of his spiritual power had been consumed, while the water of the [Sea of Bitterness] seemed endless, still surging continuously.
"...Is this as far as it goes?"
Lu Yang sighed, closed his eyes and retracted his divine sense, no longer looking at the [Sea of Bitterness]. When he opened his eyes again, the [Sea of Bitterness] had vanished without a trace.
(End of Chapter)