The sensation [Supreme Grandmaster] gave Lu Yang was entirely different from [Responding to Emperors], especially since he hadn't entered through regular channels this time.
On an endless plain, the eerie youth manifested by the Ancestral Dragon appeared abruptly. After landing, he seemed to have not yet recovered from the spinning sensation; he stood in place regulating his breath for a moment before regaining clarity. Beside him, the black-robed youth observed the surroundings without a sound.
[Off-Stage Observer].
As he expected, as the Ancestral Dragon was sent into [Supreme Grandmaster] by the Primordial Saint, he followed close behind, entering the secret realm along with the [Character in the Play].
This clearly "cheating."
However, at this moment, Lu Yang couldn't help but squint his eyes, feeling a sense of familiarity coming from [Supreme Grandmaster], as if he were not an accidental intruder.
In the judgment of [Supreme Grandmaster], this "cheating" seemed even more "regular"!
Therefore, even in the state of an observer—where he should have been quite restricted—Lu Yang felt his perspective was more comprehensive, no different from entering with his true body.
"It is because of the [Successor of Deity Transformation]."
Lu Yang looked up at the sky and saw the rising sun at the end of the plain. This secret realm was different from others; it strikingly hung with the sun, moon, and stars.
With a single look, he arched his eyebrows.
'Good stuff!'
Within sight, besides the rising sun, there were four crescent moons surrounding the solar radiance, constructing a pure and perfected lunar ring.
Lu Yang followed the Ancestral Dragon as his silhouette rapidly ascended, falling unimpeded into the light of that solar disc. He instantly saw many projected light-shadows within: there was brilliant Light of Wisdom and the intersection of Yin and Yang; various treasures were dazzling, and ten thousand pills moved freely through true fire.
"Hiss—!"
Lu Yang's pupils snapped shut as he instantly realized what this "one sun, four moons" setup was: 'My guess was indeed correct; it is the ritual of the [School of Names]!'
Deep within the rising sun, he saw the core of the ritual.
[Taiyitian]!
And within the four crescent moons surrounding the sun, although many images floated on the surface, the roots were likewise four names, just as Lu Yang had previously guessed.
[Shi Tianyi], [Dao Tianqi].
[Lian Tiandou], [Bu Tianque].
Just then, the Ancestral Dragon suddenly let out a muffled groan of either jealousy or anger, his eerie face filled with reluctance and irritation.
Yet his body remained honest.
Following this, the Ancestral Dragon was seen floating into the sun, pinching a hand seal and operating his aura. Then, he closed his eyes in some pain and stopped moving.
On the other side, Lu Yang, acting as the observer, immediately sensed the mutation occurring within the Ancestral Dragon: 'The ritual seems to be extracting things from him. This is... lifespan? [Name]? [Destiny]? No wonder it had to be the Ancestral Dragon; besides secrecy, there are likely factors in this regard as well.'
There are many types of lifespan.
The lowest grade is naturally physical lifespan. In the current age where the path of the Law Body has perished, Qi Refiners have 150 years, Foundation Establishment 300 years, and even Golden Core Perfected Lords have no more than a thousand years.
When the time comes, the body decays and the soul must undergo reincarnation.
However, the soul also has its own lifespan.
A Foundation Establishment practitioner's self-awareness will be eroded after five reincarnations. This means the soul-lifespan is exhausted, the soul is wiped clean, and a brand-new consciousness is born.
Only the Golden Core Perfected Lords of the Grotto-Heaven Method can refine their souls into a golden nature, thereby attaining eternity. Even if physical lifespan is limited, the soul-lifespan eventually ceases to be the "mystery of the womb."
But that is all.
Even for a Golden Core Perfected Lord, a perfected golden nature still has the possibility of being shattered. Lu Yang had refined golden nature more than once and was all too clear on this.
And the ritual before him was doing exactly that. Lu Yang had no doubt that if a Golden Core Perfected Lord were placed within this ritual, in less than a moment, they would be completely sucked dry, ending with a shattered golden nature—the profound wonder within made Lu Yang feel a sense of familiarity.
"[Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]..."
Yes, although the methods were actually much cruder, the design principle of this ritual had a subtle similarity to the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] refining golden nature!
The more he looked, the more surprised Lu Yang became.
"This is actually a [Talent]!"
Finally, Lu Yang saw the essence of the ritual: "A man-made [Talent]. It cannot compare to the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], but it is truly profound!"
It wasn't built by the Primordial Saint.
Lu Yang had an insight almost instantly: 'The Primordial Saint couldn't build this thing; he is merely the user. This is essentially a legacy left by the [School of Names].'
Incredible.
Was the [School of Names] imitating the methods of that Deity Transformation being, or did that Deity Transformation being refer to the methods of the [School of Names] when designing the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]?
Lu Yang felt increasingly shocked and surveyed the ritual with growing seriousness. Then, his furrowed brows gradually relaxed: 'Hmm... the utilization rate is a bit low. What the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] can do with a single golden nature, this ritual must use the Ancestral Dragon's Primordial Spirit thought to barely achieve.'
'And it requires constant maintenance to prevent it from dissipating.'
This was also why Lu Yang was certain the Primordial Saint was only a user—because the timing didn't match. The time he changed his name was long before the suppression of the Ancestral Dragon.
'Without a doubt, this ritual was originally pre-charged.'
'The Primordial Saint used it to take the first four peak masters as disciples, subsequently utilizing their talent and temperament... however, he soon discovered the consumption of the ritual.'
'So he set his sights on the Ancestral Dragon.'
After all, only the Ancestral Dragon could withstand this kind of squeezing.
An innate Dao God, his life and soul synchronized with the Light Sea. The majesty of the ritual, which was enough to suck dry an unknown number of Golden Core Perfected Lords, was insignificant to him.
'However, the Primordial Saint must have sought other solutions.'
Lu Yang speculated in his heart and soon had an answer.
What solution?
Golden nature!
The golden nature of the Grotto-Heaven Method might have been the replacement carefully crafted by the Primordial Saint; it could satisfy the needs of the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], but it couldn't satisfy the ritual.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang's expression grew somewhat strange.
The ritual the Primordial Saint had maintained for many years and cherished like a treasure could be easily settled by himself with a single golden nature; the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] even provided it for free.
A long while later.
The Ancestral Dragon finally opened his eyes. Looking at the bright sun and moons before him, a vivid look of disdain flashed across his face, and he then floated away from the depths of the ritual.
Lu Yang stayed in the ritual for a moment longer, his gaze pausing on a crescent moon shining with the Light of Wisdom. A hint of ruthlessness gradually surfaced in his eyes: 'The greatest Light of Wisdom in the Light Sea will only be a waste of natural resources and a danger to all living beings in the hands of the Primordial Saint. It seems I must step forward!'
This item is destined for me!
At this thought, Lu Yang almost used his status as an observer to control the Ancestral Dragon and strike at the ritual before him—but in the end, he calmed down.
"...No rush."
The real prize had not been seen yet. At the very least, he should wait until the Ancestral Dragon finished all operations and he fully understood everything here before acting.
Turning around, Lu Yang floated away.
Soon, he locked onto the silhouette of the Ancestral Dragon and saw the bones covering the mountains and plains, as well as a magnificent golden book placed right in the center of the bones.
Lu Yang's gaze instantly focused.
It was this very item!
At the end of the previous life, even when enveloped by the aura of the Light Sea's final tribulation, it remained immortal and indestructible—the [Restart] supreme treasure upon which the Primordial Saint had placed high hopes!
(End of Chapter)