"What is this?"
Watching Lu Yang reach out and write in the void, both Patriarch Nether Whisper and Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon came closer out of curiosity, subsequently revealing expressions as if they had comprehended something.
"He's deducing a cultivation technique."
Patriarch Nether Whisper couldn't help but reveal a smile like a parent watching their child grow up. "Integrating what he has learned, transforming the things of others into his own comprehension."
"Very impressive."
On the other side, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's eyes also flickered. "Rank 3? Rank 2? No, even higher. This cultivation technique of his has the feel of a Rank 1 True Art!"
As a Void Attainment expert of the [Sword Dao], the main technique Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon cultivated back then was the Sword Pavilion's Rank 1 True Art. During his lifetime in the Sword Pavilion, Lu Yang had also practiced it; it was called the "Sword Lord's Profound Discourse on Metal Mastery Secret Chapter". Therefore, he was no stranger to Rank 1 True Arts, and now he immediately saw some clues.
"This is..."
Gradually, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's expression changed. "A resonance method? It's clearly a Rank 1 True Art, but the result is not autonomous. Instead, it's a resonance method?"
This was a very bizarre thing.
In Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's eyes, the method Lu Yang was writing right now was absolutely a Rank 1 True Art, yet its essence wasn't particularly profound or abstruse.
In fact, it was the exact opposite.
It was very simple: it was just resonating with the [Arctic Exorcism Court]—if Lu Yang's Rank 1 True Art was like this, then what about the "Sword Lord's Profound Discourse on Metal Mastery Secret Chapter"?
Was it the same principle?
[Sword Dao]... what exactly is it? Was what I attained Void Attainment for truly the [Sword Dao]? And what am I resonating with? Could this be where the problem lies...
For a long time, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon actually had a sore spot in his heart. That was, ever since attaining Void Attainment, his cultivation base had never made any obvious progress. To the point where he couldn't personally take action for Lu Yang and could only lend out the [Sword Dao], letting Lu Yang use his own stature to forcefully elevate the power of the [Sword Dao].
This was clearly abnormal.
Although his comprehension ability was inferior to Patriarch Nether Whisper's, he was by no means a foolish person. After so many years, he should have made at least a little progress.
But what was the result?
He was now still just following the unorthodox path. His [Sword Dao] Dao Fruit didn't even possess fundamental profound wonders—this problem had been troubling Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon recently.
Previously, he had never been able to find an answer. But after personally witnessing Lu Yang creating a Dao lineage, he finally had a guess: Perhaps it's because my current state is special. My karma is completely severed, I've lost my past resonance, and I've become water without a source. That's why I haven't been able to continue progressing.
This was a good thing, but also a bad thing.
The good thing, naturally, was that by losing resonance, he wouldn't be drawn into it, allowing his life to be preserved. The downside was that his cultivation base had stagnated because of it.
"Perhaps... I should switch my cultivation."
Thinking of this, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon glanced at Lu Yang. The [Arctic Exorcism Court] might serve as a substitute, allowing his Dao path to be reconnected.
Meanwhile, Lu Yang hadn't noticed Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's thoughts. At this moment, his entire focus was concentrated on the words of the cultivation technique before him.
"Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones can push karma. This is the handiwork of the World Honored One. He created the Foundation Establishment Realm, which naturally also contains his comprehension of the Great Dao."
"Although it's only a superficial amount, it's enough to influence Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones."
"But precisely because of this, Foundation Establishment controls karma and can wantonly manipulate the lives of Qi Refining cultivators, making the two almost completely different species."
That was why Foundation Establishment could be called "Perfected Ones," while Qi Refining were merely expendables.
"I want to change this point."
Within the framework of the [Arctic Exorcism Court], Qi Refining cultivators also had their value. Even if they were expendables, they were my expendables. How could they be wasted by others?
With this thought, a bright light suddenly flashed in Lu Yang's eyes, and his finger tapped heavily.
As this finger fell, a profound resonance immediately arose. The numerous cultivation techniques and scriptures that were originally like a shattered mirror unable to be mended, finally achieved unity at this moment.
The boundless scriptures ultimately merged and transformed, converging into four characters:
[Divination Golden Scripture].
"Cultivating this method can refine a stream of [Heavenly Mandate True Qi]. Although it's only Qi Refining, it can equally calculate karma and grasp one's own destiny!"
In an instant, Lu Yang was suddenly enlightened.
Like a bursting dam, endless inspiration swarmed out, leaving Lu Yang motionless for a long time. After a long while, he picked up the brush again, but this time he finished it in one go.
"After reaching Qi Refining perfection, one can cast the [Profound Resonance Origin Dao Foundation]."
"Afterward, using the Dao foundation to remotely resonate with the dark void to seek the [Arctic Exorcism Court], one can cultivate step by step until their divine abilities reach perfection, and subsequently formally take up residence within it."
In a flash, Lu Yang's divine sense expanded within the [Arctic Exorcism Court]. All the profound wonders, True Treasures, and even Dao Arts he mastered were arrayed, echoing the outside world. In the future, as long as cultivators of the [Arctic Exorcism Court] could resonate with one of them, they could master the corresponding divine ability.
Among them, there was naturally a distinction between high and low.
The lowest tier were the Dao Arts on Lu Yang's body. The mid-tier were his Dao Fruit profound wonders and dharma body. The superior tier were his four supreme True Treasures.
However, besides these, there was also the core inheritance.
Lu Yang hadn't organized this part of the divine abilities yet. Currently, there was only one, named [Heaven within Palm], which was the embryonic form of [Heaven-Bearing Palm].
"Above Foundation Establishment, one needs to seek the Golden Core."
"And in my Dao lineage, this step should be called Knocking on Heaven's Gate!"
"Golden Core Perfected Lords use divine abilities to knock open the doors of the [Arctic Exorcism Court]. Their Dao foundation transforms into a deity statue within the hall, equivalent to the Grotto-Heaven in the Grotto-Heaven method."
Lu Yang's eyes grew brighter and brighter as his hands continuously calculated, deducing the specific methods. "It's just that the Grotto-Heaven method has the Grotto-Heaven take charge of the Dao Fruit, while my side has the deity statue take residence in the [Arctic Exorcism Court]. The ranking of the deity statue's seat is the strength of the Perfected Lord's cultivation base... This is my Dao lineage!"
Lu Yang let out a long breath.
In the time it took to take a single breath, his aura began to plummet rapidly. In an instant, he dropped to the Qi Refining level, and then began to climb upwards from the very beginning!
Refine True Qi, cast Dao foundation, knock on Heaven's Gate.
In an instant, Lu Yang had returned to his peak. His towering dharma body shone brightly, and the niwan palace at his glabella even emitted dazzling immortal light, surging out uncontrollably.
"The Immortal Bridge is right before my eyes!"
Lu Yang didn't hesitate at all. He instantly left [The Mortal World] and escaped into the Dark Void. He wanted to complete the final step—setting up the [Arctic Exorcism Court]!
And then he saw it.
Outside the light sea, mortal world, within the dark void, in the place of boundless darkness, faint lights outlined a net, encompassing the entire light sea and wrapping it within.
[Heavenly Dao].
In an instant, Lu Yang felt as if he had plunged into an ice cavern.
He had succeeded. He had created his own Dao lineage. As long as he used the [Arctic Exorcism Court] as a foundation, he had one hundred percent certainty of constructing the Immortal Bridge upwards.
With [Paramita] above, constructing the Immortal Bridge would inevitably alert the Dao Lords, leaving him with nowhere to go. He accepted this, so he took a different approach and constructed it outside the Light Sea. However, he now discovered that the outside of the Light Sea was also sealed off! Under the shroud of the [Heavenly Dao], choosing to step outside was tantamount to seeking death.
I can't get out...
In an instant, Lu Yang understood everything: The First-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak opened up the Netherworld. How could the Dao Lords not guard against a similar existence appearing again?
This path had also been completely blocked!?
At this moment, it was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over his head, instantly extinguishing all of Lu Yang's passion, while simultaneously turning his expression extremely gloomy.
Returning to [The Mortal World].
Suddenly, Lu Yang raised an eyebrow. His gaze fell not far away, where a figure shrouded in smoke stood with hands behind their back, looking at him.
[Sky-shrouding].
That's right, his [Dao-Attaining Hidden Profound Palace] also melted down the [Golden Liquid Returning Core Diagram], which can melt away all flaws. He has already recovered.
Despite saying so, Lu Yang was completely fearless.
The [Arctic Exorcism Court] had undergone a qualitative transformation, and his own state had also leaped forward. Even without the self-detonation tactic, the current [Sky-shrouding] couldn't take him down.
However, in the next second, [Sky-shrouding] took the initiative to speak:
"Fellow Daoist was just trying to take a step further, right?"
"Since that's the case, Fellow Daoist should also understand that with the Dao Lords above, our cultivation is completely out of our hands. How far we can go depends entirely on Heaven's will."
"However... Heaven never seals off all paths."
As soon as [Sky-shrouding] said this, Lu Yang instantly raised his eyebrows, hope reigniting in his heart. That's right, Heaven never seals off all paths; all things have variables!
It was impossible for the path to be completely blocked!
Seeing the change in Lu Yang's expression, [Sky-shrouding] finally smiled:
"Let's talk."
(End of Chapter)