The celestial sound continued to echo above [Paramita].
This was the Dao resonance finally sounding after countless space-time veins were plucked like strings. Centered on the Primordial Saint, it chanted an endless movement.
This was [Inevitable Fate].
This was [Time].
This was something only a [Nascent Soul] that had ascended to Paramita could achieve. It was vastly different from Sisui's Dao path, it triggering a reaction from the Dark Void mother body!
At the same time, Lu Yang below was finally able to verify his previous speculation—if the Primordial Saint at Golden Core Perfection could already achieve so many incredible things through [Time], what about the Primordial Saint who had now advanced to a True Dao Lord? What kind of profound wonders could he display?
Now, the answer was right before his eyes.
After the intense blinding light came endless darkness. The originally vast, boundless, and unfathomable Dark Void suddenly seemed to have an end.
At the edges, a brilliant glow lit up.
The light circled like a surging great river, dividing infinitely on its path, rushing from the distant past to the endless future, elucidating all changes.
Ever forward, without end.
Yet in the end, that ring of light returned to its source. Past and future converged at the source, and all myriad things were gathered within a single ring.
This had nothing to do with realm.
When Sword Lord, Cang Hao, and Myriad Laws were in [Paramita] in the past, even if their realms were higher than the current Primordial Saint, they had never triggered such a phenomenon.
As a True Nascent Soul, the Primordial Saint—like Sisui—laid bare the essence of his Great Dao. In response, the Dark Void stirred, at last revealing its true form. It was a [Ring]—a cradle—an all-encompassing, unfathomable, indescribable supreme power.
"I see…"
Sisui lifted his gaze and let out a long sigh. "So this is why you call it a [Nascent Soul]. All of us are but swaddled infants within this Dark Void—within this cradle."
So this is why you deemed my transcendence false.
For as long as I remain within the Dark Void, what meaning could an infant's transcendence possibly hold? So long as it lies wrapped in these swaddling cloths, should they be torn apart, the infant can only perish along with them.
Therefore, it is [False].
"..."
Withdrawing his gaze, the emotion in Sisui's eyes quickly returned to calm. The Great Dao has no right or wrong, only choices. Since he had made his choice, he couldn't possibly regret it.
Furthermore—
"I can also achieve the so-called [True Transcendence], it just takes time. Although Fellow Daoist's progress is rapid, it is too ruthless. I would rather die than do it."
Hearing this, the Primordial Saint sneered.
"The ancient era was destroyed, nurturing an upper-realm Deity Transformation, the first transcender. After countless years, didn't a golden age of cultivation still emerge?"
"Wildfires cannot burn it all; the spring breeze blows and it grows again. The so-called myriad sentient beings, to people at our level, what difference is there from an illusion? Cut down one batch, and another appears; they can never be fully cut down. At worst, I'll restart earth, water, wind, and fire and wait for the next golden age to appear."
"Fellow Daoist, you are too attached to appearances!"
As his voice fell, the majestic [Ring] immediately moved in response. Circling the edge of the Dark Void, it bloomed inward with endless resplendent brilliance.
And it was precisely because their brilliance was too fierce that the Dark Void within the [Ring] appeared incredibly dim. Therefore, the Dark Void was filled with profound, bottomless darkness. And within this very darkness, an invisible, colossal figure was gestating, gradually taking shape.
"He's crazy... He's crazy!"
At this moment, Sword Lord, Cang Hao, and the others, who had been secretly observing this Dao Lord battle, suddenly had a drastic change in expression and quickly withdrew their thoughts of watching.
On the other side, the World Honored One also gritted his teeth.
"Nascent Soul Dao Body. The Primordial Saint is really getting serious now. And that [Ring], I've never seen the Primordial Saint use it. The Dark Void is probably no longer safe."
"Let's retreat to the Light Sea first!"
In a flash, Lu Yang also made a swift judgment. Releasing the blockade of the Investiture of the Gods Method, he entered the Light Sea alongside the World Honored One and Dao Tianqi.
Almost simultaneously.
Rumble!
An indescribable sound echoed in the Dark Void, piercing through the Light Sea and falling into the hearts of every sentient being. Yet, only a Primordial Spirit could clearly see the scene.
It was a "rain."
From the [Ring] that constructed the Dark Void, the Primordial Saint, using his own [Nascent Soul] essence to drew down a streak of heavenly light from the [Ring]!
Next, the light fell, like a raindrop plunging into a calm lake, stirring up countless circular ripples. They transformed into smaller [Rings], interlocking layer upon layer, surrounding the Primordial Saint. Like mirrors, they reflected countless Primordial Saints, which then overlapped and converged together.
Finally, it forming a streak of light.
A body forged of light, with the light of the Primordial Spirit connecting to the Dark Void like an umbilical cord. Although the nature was entirely different, it was not the slightest bit inferior to Sisui's body of transcendence.
The two confronted each other.
Then, they clashed!
The [True Nascent Soul], using the Dark Void as the mother body, was simply like a perpetual motion machine. Endless mighty power and profundities crashed toward Sisui like a tidal wave.
The [False Transcendence] also did not yield an inch.
Using himself as a Light Sea, he was like a reef in the tidal wave. No matter how the tide rose or fell, even the largest waves crashing down would only turn into fragmented spray.
Thus, in that moment where eternity and an instant intersected, endless concepts were born and then shattered in the collision, cycling repeatedly without end. Even if just a tiny bit of the aftermath of this collision fell from [Paramita], it was enough to spawn an unfathomable great storm in the Dark Void.
Being situated in such a great storm.
Even having cultivated a Primordial Spirit, one was but a lone boat in the ocean. Without the Light Sea as a foothold, even the strongest Primordial Spirit would be lost in the Dark Void!
"...Bastard!"
At this moment, Sword Lord and the others, who had previously been unhurried and thought they could wait for the outcome of the battle, finally grew anxious. The shadow of death was already pressing in step by step.
"The Primordial Saint... he's forcing us!"
Cang Hao's eyes were cold, yet he was helpless. "Either we spare no cost to enter the Light Sea and repair [Paramita], or we get lost in the Dark Void!"
How tyrannical!
Alas, one wrong step led to many wrong steps. By now, they had no choice. Submit to Sisui? Impossible. They couldn't walk Sisui's path.
Submit to Lu Yang?
The foundation of the Investiture of the Gods Method had been mostly exposed by now. It was strong and had great potential; given time, it might even become a second [Paramita].
Yes, given time.
How could something that takes time to achieve compare to the quick fix of [Paramita]? Not to mention that they might also end up being controlled by the other party as a result.
Therefore, after only a brief hesitation, the three Dao Lords made their choice. The light of their Primordial Spirits blazed violently as they charged toward the direction of the Light Sea.
The Primordial Saint also seemed to sense their decision. Accompanied by a light chuckle, the aftermath from [Paramita] instantly grew a bit stronger.
Rumble!
Under the Primordial Saint's deliberate manipulation, the blockade of the Investiture of the Gods Method was like paper. It was instantly smashed by the aftermath of the Dao Lord battle, throwing the gates wide open in an instant!
"I'm going all out...!"
Seeing this, Lu Yang immediately took a step forward.
To stop the three Dao Lords, he had to leave the Light Sea first, braving the danger of being caught in the great storm and lost in the Dark Void to fight them.
But if he didn't stop them, the outcome wouldn't be much different from two lifetimes ago.
After all, if Sword Lord and the others repaired [Paramita], the Primordial Saint would inevitably rise with the tide, climbing from the first layer of [Paramita] to the second or even the third layer!
Then what was the point of playing?
After so many lifetimes, he had finally seen hope. No matter what, he had to carve out a new future. How could he allow history to repeat itself?
However, right at this moment.
"Sigh..."
A light sigh.
The voice, filled with helplessness and pity, drifted faintly from above [Paramita], echoing through the Dark Void and suppressing the ceaselessly turbulent great storm.
Then, a hand stretched out from [Paramita].
That hand was not intact; it seemed only the skeleton remained. The residual flesh and blood were constantly dissolving, and boiling Dao Lord blood continuously dripped.
But he remained resolute and unflinching.
The broad five fingers slowly opened and, as if holding a supreme treasure, gently sheltered the Light Sea in his hand.