Facing Lu Yang's admiring gaze, [Patriarch Nether Whisper] although finding it quite enjoyable, still waved his hand: "It's not that amazing. Actually, there are still flaws."
He was also worried Lu Yang would truly treat him as omnipotent, so he hurriedly emphasized his tone: "According to my method, although there is an eighty percent chance of Fellow Daoist Suo Huan recovering, whether the Dao Fruit cultivated using the World Realm Seed has hidden dangers remains to be seen. It might affect future cultivation."
"Moreover, as I said before."
"[Borrowing Dharma to Restore the Core]—if the Dharma exists, the Core is complete; if the Dharma is destroyed, the Core shatters. This is actually a huge flaw, meaning the Dao Fruit will have a trace of disharmony."
Because the concept of [Entering and Locking the Grotto Heaven] was added externally.
This was [Patriarch Nether Whisper]'s previous research direction. Now that there were results, it was essentially mounting another concept onto the foundation of [Wellspring Water].
Letting the new concept and the original Dao Fruit form a complex new system.
Normally, this wouldn't matter.
However, once the Dao Fruit suffered a heavy blow, the mounted concept would inevitably be the first to fall off. At that time, Suo Huan, whose foundation was based on this concept, would inevitably suffer heavy injuries.
And due to the newly added concept, if Suo Huan wanted to charge towards the Late Stage of Golden Core later, other Dao Fruits might not be able to be affiliated under his name. Because the Dao Fruit cultivated by the World Realm Seed was ultimately different from [Wellspring Water], the Dao path might end here.
[Patriarch Nether Whisper] cooperated with Lu Yang, explaining all the side effects clearly.
However, Suo Huan laughed upon hearing this: "I wondered what the downside was; it turns out to be just a scabies-like minor ailment. My Lord, Fellow Daoist Nether Whisper, there is no need to hesitate anymore."
"Let's just do it!"
Suo Huan's expression was very calm.
Because he truly thought so. Once the Dao Fruit suffered a heavy blow, he himself would perish. Then just protecting the Dao Fruit would suffice; it wasn't a big problem at all.
Moreover, he usually spent his time fiddling with [Universe Ruins Realm] inside the [Righteous Dao Banner], striving to revive the appearance of the World Realm of the past. He rarely encountered dangers that would threaten his Dao Fruit. If he really encountered one, he would likely be dead eighty percent of the time anyway, so why tangle over it? Therefore, Suo Huan didn't care about this side effect.
As for the Dao path... that was somewhat important.
But Suo Huan had confidence in Lu Yang. If his Dao path were truly cut off, he believed Lu Yang wouldn't ignore him. At worst, he would cultivate again; he could always walk the Great Dao again.
Furthermore—
With my Dao comprehension, wanting to reach the Middle Stage of Golden Core would probably be difficult even exhausting a lifetime. The help I can give Fellow Daoist Lu is also a bit too small.
In the final analysis, he wasn't tanky enough.
Previously in [Nourishing Life Master], when Lu Yang faced the siege of [Sky-Shrouding] and the other two, he first used the [Future Life Aspect] to tank, then used his own Dharma Body to tank.
Only at the very end did he let Suo Huan bear the damage.
Why?
Wasn't it because he was worried Suo Huan would die suddenly from taking too much damage? In fact, Lu Yang's worry hit the mark; he really almost died suddenly because of it.
However, if he could obtain the Middle Stage of Golden Core and the characteristic of an Unfallen Grotto-Heaven, even if his true Dao comprehension and combat power couldn't catch up, at least he could rely on the characteristic of being undying and imperishable to greatly increase his damage-bearing capacity. In this way, with his support, Lu Yang's combat power would inevitably have a qualitative leap.
Therefore, Suo Huan made a decision on the spot.
The harvest was bountiful, the side effects acceptable, and he could provide great help to Lu Yang. What was there to hesitate about? He couldn't ask for more!
"This matter... I'll trouble the Patriarch."
Seeing Suo Huan's firm attitude, Lu Yang also nodded. He then cupped his hands towards [Patriarch Nether Whisper]: "If there is anything I can help with, Patriarch, just ask."
[Patriarch Nether Whisper] was stunned upon hearing this, then thought seriously for a moment.
"Hmm... you can stand guard for me."
Lu Yang: "..."
A moment later, Lu Yang sat in the corner of the thatched cottage with a dark face, while [Patriarch Nether Whisper] officially began to act, starting to perform the secret technique for Suo Huan.
"Pfft..."
Uncontrollable laughter came from beside him, instantly making Lu Yang glare angrily. It turned out to be [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon], who was hugging a sword and squatting beside him as well.
"Master, you can't be like this," Lu Yang complained.
"What Master?"
[Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] tilted his head. "Speaking of which, I was curious before. Fellow Daoist sometimes calls me Master; I really can't bear that title."
Lu Yang pursed his lips upon hearing this. Only then did he remember that the [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] before him wasn't the Master from his life before the last—the one who led him into the Sword Pavilion, who slashed at the united will of the masses with a Foundation Establishment body and sword intent, and finally even forced the World Honored One to descend personally.
His relationship with this one was more like like-minded Fellow Daoists.
This made him feel somewhat melancholy.
Sitting on [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], he should have been able to redeem all regrets. However, he felt that his experience in every life was unique.
[Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] was like this.
Suo Huan was also like this. No matter how much he called them Fellow Daoists, the other party wasn't the person who shared his misery and relied on him for survival back then.
This was also why he valued [Patriarch Nether Whisper] so much.
Because strictly speaking, only [Patriarch Nether Whisper] joined him before he rose to prominence, experienced the most lifetimes with him, and was the most familiar with him.
But soon, Lu Yang pulled himself together.
Immediately after, he looked at [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] without hiding anything, even saying directly, "That was a matter of my previous life; Fellow Daoist wouldn't know..."
He narrated the experiences of that life.
The life where [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] was his Master. He didn't hide anything, even speaking with a tint of nostalgia. [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] also listened seriously.
After a long time, his voice fell.
"...Interesting."
[Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] stroked his chin and suddenly smiled. "Sounds like something I would do. I didn't expect Fellow Daoist and I to have had such a shared experience."
After speaking, he patted Lu Yang's shoulder: "It must have been hard on you."
"..."
Looking at the hand on his shoulder, Lu Yang was stunned again. But he quickly recovered and smiled: "This is nothing. The hard part is still far ahead."
He was the man who would become a Nascent Soul Dao Lord.
The true hardship was still ahead!
Thinking of this, Lu Yang patted his sleeves and stood up, too lazy to change his address anymore. He smiled: "On the contrary, it's Master... I've made you sad recently."
At these words, [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] was stunned.
Lu Yang said helplessly, "Does Master think I can't tell? Ever since losing the Netherworld that day when plotting against [Sky-Shrouding], you have been completely silent."
Plotting against [Sky-Shrouding] was the culmination of Lu Yang's ten lifetimes of cultivation.
For this, he changed a lot, finally causing [Sky-Shrouding] to fall from the divine altar... But to achieve this goal, there was one thing he couldn't change no matter what.
Chong Guang seeking the Golden Core.
"The mortals of the entire [Qing Nation] being blood-sacrificed... I couldn't change this point. Not that I couldn't, but I was unwilling... I've disappointed Master."
Lu Yang bowed solemnly.
[Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] fell silent. Only after a long time did he shake his "It will always come again... I'm not a old fashioned person. Don't take it to heart."
"After all..."
Speaking of this, [Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] suddenly looked up at Lu Yang. Clearly a sword cultivator, at this moment he appeared somewhat weak: "This is just how the world is."
He wasn't opposed to killing, only opposed to involving mortals. Cultivators risking their lives against each other for the Dao path was reasonable in his eyes. However, mortals were innocent... So Lu Yang's guess wasn't wrong. The matter of [Qing Nation] that day was indeed a knot in his heart.
But the world was like this; what could be done?
Because of this philosophy, he was already an outlier in the Sword Pavilion. Could it be that he would distance himself from Lu Yang now because of this? So he could only smile bitterly in helplessness.
However, in the next second, Lu Yang spoke:
"It is now."
[Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon] was stunned upon hearing this, only to see Lu Yang looking at him with a firm face: "But it won't always be this way. Master, you should know—Heaven never seals all paths!"