Before his words faded, Lu Yang unleashed his first blade strike.
Wherever the blade light passed, colors split into stark black and white, separating Yin and Yang. Yet, it crashed head-on against the Primordial Saint and shattered.
"RUMBLE!"
The Primordial Saint remained silent. He struck down with his palm, shattering the blade light, and clamped his hand around Lu Yang's neck to suppress his consciousness and thoughts.
It was futile.
Gripping the divine blade, Lu Yang now stood at the eighth layer of [Paramita]. While he was still no match for the Primordial Saint, he was far from powerless.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
Everything reset. The Primordial Saint watched helplessly as Lu Yang's figure turned illusory and drifted from his grasp.
All things are false; I alone am the true one.
The Primordial Saint's transcendence shielded him from the restart's effects. However, he had no means to influence Lu Yang's restart either.
Once everything reset, the revived Dao Ancestors sacrificed their blades without hesitation. The Primordial Saint struck preemptively to intercept the ritual. If he prevented Lu Yang from stacking power through repeated restarts, he retained the advantage.
"I refuse to believe you can restart much longer."
The Primordial Saint's gaze turned icy. Based on his knowledge, even Taiyuan Xian had only restarted twenty-four times when growing strong enough to contend with [Jun]. According to Taiyuan Xian, by the twenty-fourth loop, the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] showed clear signs of weakness. The power to restart had a limit.
The Primordial Saint pinched a hand seal. He reached through layers of space-time and pressed a heavy finger toward Lu Yang's brow. This strike wasn't meant to kill, but to force Lu Yang into a premature restart before the Dao Ancestors could sacrifice their blades, rendering the lifetime useless.
By repeating this tactic, he could keep Lu Yang's strength under control and stall until the restart power ran dry!
The plan was flawless.
Yet, Lu Yang showed no fear. He sneered, "Restart much longer?"
"Didn't I tell you? I will play with you until I win!"
Before his voice faded, the Primordial Saint's movements stalled. The guaranteed strike halted as inexplicable memories flooded his mind.
"I am Zhi Tianming... Wait, no!"
The Primordial Saint snapped back to reality. A loud crash echoed in the past space-time as Zhi Tianming—who had just "reincarnated"—shattered.
He was the First Dao Ancestor of [Fate] cultivation.
In that brief instant, Zhi Tianming utilized the [Fate] reincarnation method to incarnate as [The Primordial Saint of the past] and replace him at the root!
The current Primordial Saint commanded the ninth layer of the [Paramita] across the past, present, and future. He possessed no flaws. Zhi Tianming's attempt inevitably failed. Yet, just as he had once influenced the Final Tribulation, he managed to influence the Primordial Saint!
The subtle influence merely stalled the Primordial Saint for a split second. But that second was a massive flaw!
Seizing this pause, Sisui and the Pre-Ancient Dao Ancestors completed another blade sacrifice. Lu Yang's aura surged again!
The majesty reshaping all phenomena erupted.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
Another restart.
Everything reset. The Primordial Saint erupted with full force, but Zhi Tianming was a Dao Ancestor of three qualitative changes. Not being a Deity Transformation practitioner, the Primordial Saint could not break free from the influence.
Thus, another loop.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
This time, Lu Yang's aura finally breached an incredible threshold. The Dao ring and infinite halo behind his head perfected themselves.
[Paramita] Ninth Layer!
A gap still existed between him and the Primordial Saint, akin to the difference between a growing child and a burly adult. It existed, but it was no longer insurmountable!
The Primordial Saint's advantage shrank again. Previously, he felt certain he could suppress Lu Yang's consciousness to force a premature restart. Now, he lacked the power to do so and could only watch helplessly as Lu Yang initiated the loops.
"This is the benefit of external objects! Cultivation requires speed!" Lu Yang laughed. Though his essence remained at the second qualitative change, the divine blade pushed his majesty ever higher.
Just like the Primordial Saint's [Paramita]. The Primordial Saint judged one thing correctly: Lu Yang was very much like him. Their styles and cultivation philosophies were eerily consistent. However...
Exploiting others felt satisfying, but becoming the stepping stone for someone else's exploitation was hard to swallow.
"..."
The Primordial Saint made a decisive choice. His figure receded rapidly down the river of time, sinking into the silent, nihilistic darkness of the future. It was the world following the Final Tribulation—absolute [Nothingness].
Theoretically, hiding there masked his actions perfectly. He used a similar method when awakening the Final Tribulation Dao God. Taiyuan Xian had awakened the Dao God using the Qi of the Final Tribulation as cover, preventing Lu Yang from discovering the secret actions and timing the restart accurately.
Now, the Primordial Saint repeated the trick to refine the Seed of the Great Dao!
"I just need a single instant," the Primordial Saint calculated. "An instant to refine a portion of the Seed's majesty. Once I absorb it, I grow stronger."
He would maintain his advantage over Lu Yang.
The Primordial Saint sank into the thick darkness. Without a word, he reached into the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] to extract a strand of majesty.
Immediately following—
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
The extracted majesty reversed its flow, returning to the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record]. It was another shattered illusion. The Primordial Saint's expression darkened as the world reset.
The Primordial Saint looked up. Lu Yang smiled at him. "Why do you think I let you transcend? This is why."
Lu Yang didn't need to explain; the Primordial Saint understood. "All things are false; I alone am the true one. Before transcendence, I was a worldly illusion, blending perfectly into the mortal dust. But now, I am unique in this world. Like a rising sun in the mortal realm, hiding is impossible..."
"You hold yourself in too high regard." Lu Yang interrupted with a cold smile. "What rising sun? In my eyes, you are just a massive piece of shit. I can find you easily because you reek."
"..."
Ignoring the provocation, the Primordial Saint considered the situation rationally. "The twenty-fourth loop... yet you seem to have plenty of leeway." He asked a genuine question: "How many more times can you restart?"
"Take a guess." Lu Yang's lips twitched. He initiated another blade sacrifice, followed by another restart. The power gap between him and the Primordial Saint shrank visibly!
He rapidly consumed the pages of the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], but it hardly mattered. He hadn't even used fifty pages yet. At this rate, with over sixty pages remaining, he would match the Primordial Saint's "Three Lifetimes Combined" power!
Lu Yang deeply understood [Jun]'s intention. My previous efforts weren't in vain. Because I reached my current realm in just over ten lifetimes, I earned this margin for error.
"Continue. Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
Another restart. Loop after loop, an endless, repeating cycle. During this process, Lu Yang's own essence—the [Infinite Law]—sent back a faint resonance.
Lu Yang's past experiences flashed through his mind. The authentic memories of over ten lifetimes surged. These cycles were unique to him. They nurtured him, granting him the sliver of hope needed to defeat the Primordial Saint and shatter [Inevitable Fate].
[Variable]. Like a chick breaking from its shell, an indescribable glimmer of light emerged from the infinite halo behind Lu Yang's head.
Three qualitative changes.
Excluding Taiyuan Xian, only Zhi Tianming and Shi Weixiong reached this level among the Pre-Ancient Dao Ancestors. They were the strongest. Yet, despite sharing this realm, their ages varied wildly. Zhi Tianming was the most ancient Dao Ancestor; Shi Weixiong was a latecomer. This proved that achieving three qualitative changes relied not on time, but on insight. Endless cultivation alone couldn't break the barrier.
A breakthrough demanded "opportunity." Personal experience, conviction in the [Self], resolve, and intent—these fueled the three qualitative changes. They sprouted from the depths of the Primordial Spirit. For Lu Yang, the moment had arrived.
Invisible ripples expanded from Lu Yang. What began as a mere sprout rapidly flourished under the divine blade's majesty. This was Lu Yang's essence of transcending [Infinity].
What was it?
"Three qualitative changes of essence, each born from my personal experience."
"I came from a world of [Order]. Initially, I followed that [Order], but it led to my death and trapped me in endless [Cycles]."
"Striving, slaughtering, scheming."
"Through the [Cycles] of restarting, I enhanced myself [Infinitely]."
Lu Yang's tone remained calm as he locked eyes with the Primordial Saint. "And now, as an outsider who never belonged to this world, I defeat you completely."
This was the [Variable]! The paramount Great Dao of the Light Sea, the world's standard—the Great Dao that had never truly manifested—now emerged from Lu Yang's [Infinite Law]!
The Seed of the Great Dao housed within the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] underwent a strange mutation, despite the book acknowledging and submitting to the Primordial Saint. Lu Yang's Great Dao encompassed all space and time. The past, present, and future rang with his resonant voice:
"Witness my grand achievement, far surpassing all predecessors!"
Light Sea. Immortal Nexus. The Saint Sect's Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.
Yu Suzhen, a registered disciple of the Saint Sect, finished her daily cultivation and began studying the [Ode of Yin-Yang Great Bliss] to explore dual cultivation techniques.
Suddenly, she lifted her head. Her clear eyes clouded with daze. Past memories flooded her mind like a passionate, hyper-realistic dream.
"Lu Yang...?"
A strange resonance drew her gaze toward another disciple's cave abode. There, her fellow apprentice Liu Xin roared at the heavens: "Lu Yang!!!"
Within the Saint Sect's Sacred Fire Cliff, a handsome youth seemingly blessed with all the world's good fortune abruptly opened his eyes.
"Me? Damn it!"
Hongyun stood blankly. Horrific memories of being insulted and ravaged across several lifetimes surfaced from the depths of his consciousness. He screamed the name of the man who was once a mere ant, yet had somehow turned the tables to play and use him like a tool: "Lu Yang——!!!"
On the other side of the Sacred Fire Cliff, Chongguang opened his eyes. Astonishment cracked his usually composed face.
"Yuan Tu... Senior Immortal Lord, the Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma?"
Chongguang looked up.
"RUMBLE!"
Deep within the Sacred Fire Cliff, inside Feixue's bedchamber, a sky-piercing divine light erupted, illuminating the [Ravine Stream Water] and signaling its master's unrest.
On the soft cloud bed, the elegant Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue ground her silver teeth and whispered, "Good, good, good... Master of the Heavenly Palace, is that how it is?"
The junior who required her protection in one timeline perfectly overlapped with the Immortal Lord she fought and engaged in passionate struggle with in another.
"...Bastard!"
The strong-willed Perfected Lord was torn between tears and laughter. That man had ravaged the massive Saint Sect from bottom to top! He was the biggest bastard in the entire sect!
Similar scenes played out across every corner of the Light Sea. Across the past, present, and future, everyone remembered.
Some laughed, sighing in sincere admiration. Some ground their teeth, cursing with bitter hatred. Others shook their heads helplessly, torn between laughter and tears. Reactions varied wildly. In the Dao Court's Imperial Palace, the memories sparked a fierce argument, infuriating Emperor Jiayou so much he nearly leveled the capital.
Deep within the Dark Void inside the [Heavenly Palace], Patriarch Nether Whisper, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, Suo Huan, and the others awakened. They gazed toward the Heaven Beyond Heaven and sighed.
They were the exception. This time, Lu Yang did not bring the [Heavenly Palace] to the Heaven Beyond Heaven. Instead, he banished it to the Dark Void early on.
Lu Yang had lacked certainty. Banishing them to the Dark Void was a protective measure. He refused to let the fragile inhabitants of the [Heavenly Palace] face such risks. Now, they remembered everything. They had learned about [Restarting] previously, but the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] kept them isolated. They had never truly experienced it.
Now, their memories awakened fully.
["All right, send me into your Myriad Spirits Banner."]
["To sacrifice one's life for righteousness—valuing righteousness above one's own body—thus it is said— Nothing is more precious than righteousness."]
["Fellow Daoist Suo Huan, I will guide you in the next life!"]
The past stood clear in their minds. The sharper the memories, the more apparent Lu Yang's massive impact became!
In the Netherworld, the past [Sky-Shrouding] sat cross-legged. As the resonance hit him, he recalled the repeated assaults on the Netherworld.
From his initial accidental death driven by hatred, to glimpsing a sliver of hope and fighting for his life. Then his defection to [Tribulation], his shift to the [Heavenly Palace], entering the False History, and finally peaking as a third-layer [Paramita] Dao Lord.
He lowered his eyelids. "...What Dao Ancestor Xuande."
"Damn it. Taking advantage of me... you bastard!"
In the second layer of [Paramita], the towering golden Buddha sat amidst layers of Zen chants and vast Buddha light. He looked up, his gaze piercing space-time and Karma, recalling everything.
"It was like this?"
He had been cold and heartless, hiding behind a mask of compassion. Looking back, he saw himself traversing karma, scheming against the Primordial Saint, and fighting to the death in the Netherworld for his junior brother.
The Buddha's compassionate mask dissolved, replaced by a very human sigh. Pressing his palms together, a thunderous voice echoed from the light: "Excellent, excellent."
Countless changes rippled through the past, present, and future. Yet, on the battlefield, these events occurred in the span of a single thought.
By the time the Primordial Saint reacted, Lu Yang had opened his eyes. The infinite halo behind his head had shattered. Only a thread of brilliance remained, reflecting off his brow and signaling the shifting of all things in heaven and earth.
The Primordial Saint gripped the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record]. The Seed of the Great Dao within fluctuated violently, desperate to throw itself into Lu Yang's embrace. Lu Yang now matched him perfectly in both majesty and essence.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
He grew stronger.
"This is impossible." The [Supreme Forgotten Emotions] kept the Primordial Saint's tone calm, but it failed to mask his deep confusion. "Three lifetimes at the ninth layer of [Paramita], fused into one. That is the absolute limit for an attained Daoist, and you haven't even achieved Deity Transformation. How can you be stronger than me?"
Lu Yang beamed. "This is the [Variable]! Nothing is impossible. If a limit exists, break it!"
Who dictated that fusing three lifetimes was the limit for an attained Daoist? That was the [Inevitable Fate] of the narrow-minded! Limits existed solely for the [Variable] to shatter them!
Lu Yang slashed his blade. The Primordial Saint flew backward, his scarlet blood splashing through space-time and staining the ages!
Lu Yang pressed the attack.
"This strike is for the World Honored One."
"This strike is for Sky-Shrouding."
"These ten strikes are for myself..."
There were no profound wonders. They were common, mortal slashes striking the Primordial Saint with pure, violent force! Each strike shaved off a portion of the Primordial Saint's majesty, extinguishing his existence in the river of time.
Though he continuously regenerated, each recovery stripped a layer from his fused three-lifetimes foundation. And the deterioration only accelerated.
Yet, the Primordial Saint refused to yield.
"I have transcended!" Bloodied and battered, he fought back. "So what if you are stronger? You remain an illusion! You cannot kill me! I will find an opportunity to turn the tables!"
He mirrored Lu Yang's previous strategy. Lu Yang had relied on the immortality of essence metamorphosis to survive until an opening presented itself.
Now, their positions were reversed. It was the Primordial Saint's turn to flee in disarray, clinging to life through immortality.
"This means nothing." The bloodstained Primordial Saint pondered as he fled. "He did it, so can I. Once I find the right method, I will turn the tables!"
Why? Because this was the [Variable], the sliver of hope for the Light Sea...
"Stop dreaming." Lu Yang's thunderous voice interrupted his thoughts, dripping with irony.
"Have you forgotten? You have already transcended."
The Light Sea's variable, the sliver of hope? That was reserved for the people of this world! You already transcended, yet you still covet the [Variable]?
Keep dreaming!
With a heavy, brutal slash, Lu Yang severed the Primordial Saint at the waist. "For you, there are no [Variables]!"
"In the name of the Master of the [Variable], I declare your fate."
"Death is your one and only inevitable ending!"