The [Paramita].
Hanging high outside the Mortal World, infinitely lofty and ethereal, transcending the mortal dust, it was practically invisible to any living being. Only Heaven Treading Great Perfected Lords could glimpse a hint of its shadow.
This place was the highest point of the Light Sea.
The unreasonable majesty of the Dao Lords all stemmed from here. Because they stood the highest, they saw the furthest. Thus came the saying, the will of heaven has been lofty and hard to question since ancient times.
However, today, the [Paramita]—which should have been eternally unchanging and unaffected by the Mortal World below—suddenly experienced a tremor so slight it was almost imperceptible.
'[Inevitable Fate] has been shaken...'
Sensing the source of the tremor, the World Honored One, located on the second tier of the [Paramita], smiled. Then, without hesitation, he suppressed all the tremors.
'Being on the lowest tier has its own advantages. Although I am the weakest, I am also the closest to the Mortal World. If some matters don't cause too big of a commotion, as long as I don't want the Dao Lords on the higher tiers to know, I can intercept them at my tier in advance, keeping them completely ignorant.'
The World Honored One sensed it carefully.
'It's that reckless brute, Pill Cauldron.'
'He was killed personally by the Primordial Saint. The result of his death should have become an established fact, just like Sisui's. Yet now, he has revived in the Netherworld.'
This was a violation of [Inevitable Fate].
However, because it was only an illusion and the First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak hadn't truly resurrected, this tremor was extremely weak, almost impossible to notice.
'But it's enough... Beast Taming, well done.'
At this moment, the World Honored One's expression was incredibly calm, and his aura remained unchanged. Only ripples stirred in his heart, seemingly recalling his previous actions in the Netherworld.
'It seems that mysterious person who consumed the [Cycle of Life and Death Pill] has already connected with Beast Taming. Beast Taming... you idiot, you finally believed me this time.'
Back then, in the Netherworld, he had called that mysterious person 'Pill Cauldron'.
Did they really think he hadn't recognized him?
What a joke! Even setting aside his cultivation realm, given his relationship with Pill Cauldron, he would be able to recognize him even if Pill Cauldron turned into ashes and his true spirit was reborn!
Let alone the fact that he was also a Dao Lord.
Under the eyes of a Dao Lord, that bit of disguise from the [Cycle of Life and Death Pill] was utterly useless. If he hadn't covered for him in time, the other party would have been discovered long ago.
That call of "Pill Cauldron" had another purpose.
'As a Dao Lord, personally acknowledging the existence of [Pill Cauldron]—this is the greatest karma and concept. Others might not see the profound wonders within, but it's impossible for Beast Taming not to. He should be clear that, with my personal designation, that person will be the best candidate to inherit the identity of [Pill Cauldron].'
'The only difference was whether he believed me or not.'
The World Honored One lowered his eyelids. He had a close relationship with [Sky-shrouding]. Since he had recognized Lu Yang, he naturally knew that this person and [Sky-shrouding] were Fellow Daoists who helped each other.
Therefore, helping him was helping [Sky-shrouding].
And helping [Sky-shrouding] was helping himself.
The only pity was that the other party had refined the Fasting of the Mind, making him truly difficult to convert. Otherwise, converting him and personally disguising him as Pill Cauldron would have been the safest route.
'Hmph. You didn't believe me back then, but you believe me now? Too late.'
The World Honored One looked down. His gaze seemed to pierce through the Mortal World, landing on the deepest layer of the Netherworld, where he saw a youth looking up at the sky with a face full of apology.
'...Forget it, it's not too late.'
Right at this moment, the World Honored One seemed to sense something. He suddenly withdrew his gaze, and all emotions in his eyes were rapidly erased, turning into cold indifference.
The next second, a voice rang out:
"Myriad Treasures."
A voice he hadn't heard in a long time—faint and lofty—drifted down from the highest tier of the [Paramita], carrying a hint of curiosity. "What did you just do?"
'Anxious, aren't you?'
The World Honored One sneered internally. Although the shaking of [Inevitable Fate] wasn't noticed by the other Dao Lords, as its master, how could you miss such an anomaly?
Thinking of this, he immediately tilted his head, putting on an innocent expression:
"What does Master mean by this?"
"Although I did sense a slight anomaly just now, it had nothing to do with me... Could it be a petty trick by that Ancestral Dragon remnant thought that snuck into the Netherworld?"
"Incorrect."
The voice from the summit carried a bit more playfulness, directly ignoring the clue the World Honored One offered as a smokescreen, and said with a certain tone:
"It was your doing."
"Is it Pill Cauldron? You brought him back to life? The method is quite ingenious. Beast Taming has also awakened. And what about Heaven-Mending? Where has Heaven-Mending hidden himself?"
'You're anxious huh?.'
The World Honored One continued to maintain his innocent expression and didn't speak.
The two sides remained in a standoff like this for a moment. Finally, the ethereal voice from the summit chuckled. "Forget it, having a few more [Variables] is just right."
With that, the gaze dissipated.
The World Honored One pressed his palms together, a layer of gloom surfacing in his eyes. 'He's too calm. His progress over these years has been too fast; he's completely unfathomable now.'
However, the arrow was on the bowstring; it had to be fired.
Thinking of this, the World Honored One began to ponder again. 'It's impossible for Primordial Saint to control the entire Light Sea. As long as there are enough [Variables], there will always be a chance to break the deadlock.'
'The Foundation Establishment Realm is a pity! This is also the drawback of [Sky-shrouding] leaving the Netherworld. It allowed the Primordial Saint to start dealing with the flaws in the Foundation Establishment Realm. The [Vast Ocean Water] has returned to its Supreme position, and the Foundation Establishment Realm Collapse Plan can no longer be sustained. Otherwise, we could have added another log to this impending inferno.'
'Fortunately, I have other preparations.'
Reviewing the intelligence provided by [Sky-shrouding]—or more accurately, the intelligence the mysterious person told [Sky-shrouding], which [Sky-shrouding] then relayed to him.
The World Honored One sighed again in his heart.
'Heaven-Mending, that pervert took the Origin of the Yin Great Dao and snuck through the [Pomegranate Wood], seemingly entering the Ancestral Dragon seal. What does he want to do?'
He also understood the Dao of [Yin-Yang]. Back when Sisui preached the Dao, he had even voluntarily demonstrated it. [Yang] corresponded to the Mortal World , and [Yin] corresponded to the Dark Aspect of the Light Sea.
Therefore, [Sky-shrouding] was able to stir up a great tribulation, drawing the chaotic storm from the Dark Aspect of the Light Sea into the Mortal World, because this was exactly where the profound concept of [Yang] lay.
The problem lay with [Yin].
'Heaven-Mending, [Pomegranate Wood]... A good method. He even has hope of using it to smuggle himself onto the [Paramita]. But is that truly your only goal?'
The World Honored One couldn't fathom it.
Therefore, after pondering for a long time, he simply shook his head. 'Forget it. Regardless of what you want to do, I have already opened up the Dark Aspect of the Light Sea for you anyway.'
He helped [Sky-shrouding] bridge the Dark Aspect of the Light Sea and the Mortal World not just to help him attract [Tribulation], but more so to make the Light Sea and the Dark Aspect function as one body. This way, when the First-generation Master of Heaven-Mending Peak used [Yin] to interfere with the Dark Aspect, it would also be able to affect the Mortal World.
Pill Cauldron, Beast Taming, Heaven-Mending.
It would have been fine if he didn't know beforehand, but now that he did, he had made arrangements in almost every direction to ensure that each of their plans could be realized.
'Regardless, I have to thank that mysterious person.'
'Whether he is an Ancestral Dragon remnant thought or something else... without him, the arrangements of Beast Taming and Pill Cauldron might have quietly vanished.'
If that had happened, things would be even more difficult for him than they were now.
But things were different now.
"Come on, come all of you."
The World Honored One sat upright on the Paramita, looking down upon the Mortal World. He looked at the Netherworld, looked at the [Pomegranate Wood], and saw the back-up plans left behind by his former martial brothers one by one.
In a daze, it felt as if they had returned to the past.
His three junior brothers surrounded him.
And above their heads was still that Master who aimed for transcendence and looked down upon the mortal dust. Only this time, they were no longer listening to his lectures.
The radiance in the World Honored One's eyes grew increasingly intense, like a newly ignited fire.
This time, they were going to overturn the mountain above their heads!