At this moment, all space and time trembled.
Surging from the distant past, washing over the present, and flowing into the future—the true, undeniable figure of the [Primordial Saint] existed in every space and time.
Just then, he lowered his eyes.
His gaze pierced the past, landing in the Pre-Ancient Era. A handsome young Daoist priest, his black robes fluttering in the wind, walked leisurely toward him.
The Daoist priest glanced at the [World Honored One] nearby. The shattering of the Netherworld had knocked the monk back to Golden Core Perfection, leaving him gravely injured and near death. The young priest nodded, as if expecting this.
"World Honored One, you did not let me down."
His voice carried a teasing amusement. "I knew it. No matter what someone from the [Myriad Treasure] Peak does, they are no match for the [Primordial Saint]."
The [World Honored One] fell silent.
Buoyed by the dark-robed young man's composure, the [World Honored One] managed a weak smile. Seeing this, the remaining Dao Ancestors regained a glimmer of hope.
"Xuande... he really didn't die."
The [Primordial Saint] spoke in a deep, calm voice. He had already achieved transcendence. With the foundation of three lifetimes, no one beneath the realm of [Deity Transformation] could contend with him.
Lu Yang paid the [Primordial Saint]'s attitude no mind. He beckoned with his hand. A blade light—flowing like water—rose from the abyss of time and landed in his grasp. It transformed into a divine blade shining with profound light, erupting with a grand aura that far surpassed his own.
This blade was nameless.
Forged from [Shi Weixiong]'s [Accumulating Merit] method, it killed others and its wielder alike. It was like raising Gu, sacrificing everything to cultivate the strongest Gu king.
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."
Grasping the divine blade, Lu Yang laughed. In the depths of the time abyss, [Shi Weixiong], his aura withered to the extreme, nodded slightly and closed his eyes.
An instant later, his figure shattered.
"RUMBLE!"
Without hesitation, [Shi Weixiong] exploded under the astonished gazes of the Dao Ancestors. He took his own life, sacrificing himself to the divine blade.
As he had stated before, this blade's ritual did not target only outsiders. It included [Shi Weixiong] himself. He could wield the blade to kill and sacrifice enemies, or commit suicide to empower the next wielder. He could be the Gu king, or the nourishment fed to it!
"To reach this point..."
"[Shi Weixiong] is truly consistent in thought and action."
His decision deeply moved the surviving Dao Ancestors, especially those who shared his philosophy of saving the world.
Laughter rang out.
"Fellow Daoist Shi, wouldn't it be lonely to go alone?"
Amidst the laughter, [Zhu Liuxian] strode forward. Decisive and calm, he said, "I will sacrifice my remnant body. Let it be one final contribution."
With that, his figure shattered.
Immediately after, [Jiao Guiren], the Dao Ancestor of [Noble Connection], stepped forward. He laughed and cursed, "That bastard [Shi Weixiong]. I connected with the wrong person again."
He looked at Lu Yang.
"Fellow Daoist, we aren't close, so I won't say much."
"Since I'm dying anyway, I'll give you one last push. There's no hope left regardless."
Despite his dispirited words, [Jiao Guiren] did not hesitate. He ended his life, his figure shattering as infinite profound mysteries swarmed outward!
Three Dao Ancestors—one with three qualitative changes, two with two—ended their lives, bestowing their strength upon Lu Yang's divine blade.
Lu Yang's aura surged. Though his [Infinite Law] remained the same, the divine blade pushed his power past the sixth layer of [Paramita], reaching a height only the [Primordial Saint] had ever touched.
[Paramita] Seventh Layer!
This progression was incredible. Lu Yang traversed a path that took the [Primordial Saint] countless epochs in a fraction of the time. It was an unreplicable miracle.
The [Primordial Saint] dismissed it with disdain. "Meaningless."
"You fall short of [Shi Weixiong]. He had three metamorphoses—equivalent to the eighth layer of [Paramita]—and could barely tangle with me."
Ignoring him, Lu Yang swung the blade.
The blade light slashed down the [World Honored One]. Simultaneously, it reached [Sisui] and [Dao Tianqi], radiating cold murderous intent.
The [Primordial Saint] didn't intervene. He merely offered a cold smile.
[Dao Tianqi] dropped all his defenses, allowing the blade to strike him. His figure shattered, channeling infinite wisdom light to strengthen the divine weapon.
However, [Sisui] hesitated.
The [Primordial Saint]'s smile widened. Though devoid of emotion, this sight moved him.
Before he could speak, Lu Yang's voice rang out.
"Senior, I have a method for certain victory. Trust me."
That simple promise made [Sisui] exhale, giving him a reason to sacrifice his life.
"I am not a noble person."
[Sisui]'s voice echoed leisurely. "I only do what is within my power... Since you say so, Fellow Daoist, I will trust you this once."
With that, his figure shattered.
The sacrifice of a Transcender caused the divine blade's brilliance to surge. The profound power condensed on the edge sent a chill through even the [Primordial Saint].
Lu Yang bowed solemnly.
[Sisui]'s past actions flashed through his mind, culminating in a sigh. "Senior [Sisui], you are far too humble."
Claiming he only saved the Light Sea in passing, acting only within his means, ready to retreat if his life was threatened... yet when true despair arrived, [Sisui] made the ultimate choice. He never considered giving up.
Yes, it should have always been this way.
A flash of crimson crossed Lu Yang's heart—the same color from when [Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin] stepped forward to fight the Dao Lord to the death in the Netherworld.
It was the same then.
Even mired in despair, someone always fought. That very struggle allowed the fated [Ending] to birth a brand new variable.
The [Primordial Saint] let his smile fade.
"...Foolish."
"What 'Xuande'? He was a disciple of my Saint Sect. He never keeps his promises. To trust him... truly naive."
A strange look crossed Lu Yang's face.
"Is this your transcendence? It is certainly more complete than Senior [Sisui]'s [False Transcendence]. You actually remember the past?"
"The eighteenth loop."
The [Primordial Saint] spoke indifferently. "This is your eighteenth restart. You are approaching Taiyuan Xian's record."
"Lu Yang?"
"How interesting. A fish that slipped through the net, claiming you would play with me to the bitter end... What a pity. I won this game."
After achieving transcendence, the [Primordial Saint] retained his memories of the restarts. He spoke with absolute certainty. Yet, instead of the terror he expected, he saw Lu Yang offer a mocking smile.
"You won?"
Lu Yang shook his head. "No, you never won. Yes, you suppressed the [Ancestral Dragon] in ancient times, defeated Senior [Sisui], and became the strongest."
"Yes, you obtained the [Seed of the Great Dao]."
"Yes, you successfully transcended."
"But you didn't win. You simply act more despicably than everyone else. From the start, you were never some high-aspiring powerhouse."
Lu Yang's voice boomed like thunder.
"You are just a small-minded coward."
"Despicability is the passport of the vile. It kept you invincible until now, but nothing more. You never surpassed anyone."
The [Primordial Saint] remained unmoved. "Yet I am the one standing here."
"Despicable? Noble? These are mortal rules. Unnecessary burdens. Those who fail to cast them aside earn only an epitaph."
"Like [Sisui]."
The [Primordial Saint] pointed into the distance. Following the sacrifices of [Zhu Liuxian], [Dao Tianqi], and [Sisui], only one Dao Ancestor remained alive.
[Shan Qiu].
"See? There is a smart person."
The [Primordial Saint] spoke with chilling indifference. "Who wants to die? Who willingly sacrifices themselves? This is the human heart. Fools like [Sisui] are a minority."
"The dead hold no value."
"Survivors are the victors."
In the distance, [Shan Qiu] gritted his teeth, his expression ugly. He remained motionless. The [Primordial Saint] was right; he refused to die.
Death turns everything to nothing.
As the Dao Ancestor of [Health Preservation], he utilized every method to survive. [Zhu Liuxian] and the rest could play the martyr; that was not his style.
Lu Yang didn't reprimand him. Instead, he nodded in understanding. "Senior, do not take it to heart."
"This is human nature."
Lu Yang looked back at the [Primordial Saint] and nodded. "You are right."
A wicked smile spread across his face. "Do not misunderstand. I wasn't condemning you. I was stating a fact."
"That is, your achievements so far are only because you are more despicable than others, not because you are stronger"
"By that logic, there is only one reason you will lose today—you met me."
"And I am far more despicable than you."
An unimaginably massive majesty erupted from Lu Yang, instantly sweeping across all space and time.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
The magnificent majesty acted like an invisible hand, wiping away all tragedy. It restarted earth, water, wind, and fire, tracing time backward.
However—
"Useless."
In the reverting world, only the [Primordial Saint] remained motionless. He watched the reset with cold eyes. His transcendence shielded him from its effects.
The world reshaped itself, rewinding to the moment the Light Sea Dao Lords arrived in the Pre-Ancient Era. The [Primordial Saint]'s majesty remained untouched.
He was still the supreme powerhouse wielding the ninth layer of [Paramita] across three fused lifetimes. He locked onto Lu Yang in a single thought.
Then, his expression shifted.
For the first time since the battle began, the [Primordial Saint]—who maintained absolute rationality, viewed all things as straw dogs, and controlled every variable—was stunned.
A look of confusion crossed his face.
What was happening?
He couldn't comprehend the sight before him. Even his [Supreme Forgetten Emotions] failed to mask his bewilderment.
Under his gaze, Lu Yang stood calmly in the newly restarted timeline. The divine blade obtained from [Shi Weixiong] still shone brilliantly in his hand. Its power had not diminished in the slightest... No, that wasn't the issue.
The issue was—
"Why do you have it?"
The [Primordial Saint]'s eyes widened. According to [Taiyuan Xian]'s intelligence, a "restart" merely reset time. Yet Lu Yang...
He carried external objects through the loops?
What kind of joke was this!
The [Primordial Saint] finally understood. The fated, unchangeable ending cracked, revealing a bizarre, unexpected [Variable].
"Dumbfounded?"
Lu Yang grinned at the [Primordial Saint]'s daze. "Too early for that. Open your eyes and look around. You'll feel like a complete idiot."
"RUMBLE!"
Magnificent auras erupted across the Pre-Ancient Divine Land, streaking toward Lu Yang with absolute resolve.
Then, they detonated!
The [Primordial Saint] watched the restarted Dao Ancestors—[Zhu Liuxian], [Da Yunlai], [Shi Weixiong], and [Jiao Guiren]. Even the cowardly [Shan Qiu] sprinted over.
Their faces radiated wild ecstasy.
[Jiao Guiren] wore a look of unbelievable fanaticism. His voice boomed ahead of him, "Get the hell out of my way!"
"I am the Dao Ancestor of [Noble Connection]!"
A figure blurred past, kicking him aside to seize the vanguard in front of Lu Yang.
"[Da Yunlai]!!!"
[Jiao Guiren] roared in fury.
[Da Yunlai], the [Fortune] Dao Ancestor, sneered. "Playing with my leftovers and you dare compete with your grandmaster?"
Before the words faded—
"RUMBLE!"
Under the [Primordial Saint]'s incredulous gaze, the freshly reborn [Da Yunlai] detonated himself without hesitation!
In the previous timeline, [Da Yunlai] had hidden until the bitter end. He had chosen survival over sacrifice, just like [Shan Qiu].
Yet now, he charged the vanguard!
Why?
"What changed?"
"What did you do?"
A massive sense of crisis seized the [Primordial Saint]. [Jiao Guiren] arrived next, self-destructing on the spot.
[Zhu Liuxian] and [Shi Weixiong] followed suit.
Finally came [Shan Qiu]—the coward who fled in the previous life. His expression radiated elated conviction.
He glared at the [Primordial Saint] with deep hatred.
"Mocking me for lacking the courage to die?"
"Watch this!"
Rumble!
Another deafening explosion ripped through the void. [Shan Qiu] and [Bu Changming]—one man holding two Dao Ancestor seats—detonated with momentum eclipsing the others.
They were all dead!
The profound majesty born from their suicides did not waste away. It merged entirely into Lu Yang's divine blade, forcing its aura to climb exponentially!
It didn't end there.
More streaks of light sped across the sky: the [World Honored One], [Sky-Shrouding], [Dao Tianqi], and [Sisui]. They were just as resolute.
"RUMBLE!"
The third wave sacrificed themselves without hesitation. Their exploding Primordial Spirit fires lit the dome like brilliant fireworks.
The [Primordial Saint] stared in dissonant disbelief.
What was going on?
Why did they kill themselves? To empower that blade?
But why trust Lu Yang?
They were schemers. They should have secretly contacted him to switch sides the moment Lu Yang lost the upper hand.
How could this be?
This wasn't how the human heart operated!
The [Primordial Saint] snapped out of his confusion. Piecing the puzzle together, he pinpointed the catalyst.
"You all remember!"
He scanned the void, his voice low. "You remember everything before the restart. How is this possible?"
"Nothing is impossible."
Lu Yang gripped the divine blade, absorbing the vast majesty. His aura skyrocketed, shattering another layer of realm suppression.
[Paramita] Eighth Layer!
"This is the Heaven Beyond Heaven. Its core essence is [Absolute Reality]. Once an event occurs, it becomes absolute. Even a restart cannot erase it."
Everything in this world existed within a Deity Transformation's thought. Yet, Deity Transformation stood above all phenomena as an un-interfering backdrop. Under its shroud, the [Absolute Reality] of the Heaven Beyond Heaven held firm.
Lu Yang raised the divine blade high.
More figures materialized—the [Fate] Dao Ancestor [Zhi Tianming], and the late casualty, [Zhen Qulu].
Once all willing Dao Ancestors had sacrificed their lives, Lu Yang unleashed the majesty capable of reshaping space and time.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
Everything restarted anew. The Dao Ancestors from the previous loop rushed forward with even greater fanaticism.
This time, new Dao Ancestors joined the fray.
[Shi Quanxian] of [Accumulating Merit], [Yu Huanjun] of [Reverence of the Divine], and [Dan Qingjian] of [Education] arrived.
Even the Ancestors of the Name and Form schools appeared. They sighed deeply, looking at Lu Yang with relief.
"Our selfishness caused this. It was our fault."
"Fortunately, we can start over."
Ignoring the [Primordial Saint], they decisively took their own lives. Their profound majesty fused entirely into Lu Yang's blade.
Fate, Fortune, Feng Shui, Accumulating Merit, Education, Name, Form, Reverence of the Divine, Noble Connection, and Health Preservation—the Dao Ancestors of all ten lineages gathered in full force!
Lu Yang sighed with deep emotion. "You see? This is the power of the human heart!"
The [Primordial Saint] stared.
"Bullshit!"
He evaluated Lu Yang's claim with terrifying calm. "What human heart? This isn't the human heart at all!"
They sacrificed themselves only because they could resurrect through the restart.
[Shi Weixiong]'s blade ritual stacked endlessly, growing stronger with each loop!
They remembered everything due to the [Absolute Reality] trait, bypassing the need to rebuild trust.
What was this?
This wasn't the human heart. This was a blatant display of cheat and background manipulation!
He refused to accept it.
He lunged for the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record], desperate to extract the [Seed of the Great Dao]'s majesty and complete his Deity Transformation.
However—
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes—!!!"
All things returned to nothing. Everything started over.
The majesty the [Primordial Saint] had just extracted forcefully retreated back into the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record]!
"The [Seed of the Great Dao] is unique, yes," Lu Yang said, his wicked grin widening. "But so what? The [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] is also unique, yet it still returns to the [Supreme Grandmaster] after a restart. As long as I stand here, stop fantasizing about the Seed."
The [Primordial Saint] watched helplessly as the majesty slipped through his fingers. It was right in his grasp, yet it reversed its flow uncontrollably.
Silence fell.
"Yes, yes, yes! That's the expression! That's exactly what I wanted to see!" Lu Yang burst into raucous laughter.
"Watch me grow stronger! Enjoy the feeling of having Deity Transformation right before your eyes, entirely out of reach!"
The [Primordial Saint] finally understood.
"This is... a trap."
"A trap crafted specifically for me."
"You figured it out?" Lu Yang rolled up his sleeves. "Too bad, it's too late! I won't give you a single chance. Now, I'm going to hack you down!"