Chapter 1242 - My Youth Like a Little Bird That Won’t Return

Pre-Ancient Era, Primordial Saint Sect Preaching Platform.

[Xu Changhe] could not spare a thought for the fact that this was not his own cave abode. He only felt his spiritual thoughts bubbling like a spring, with wave after wave of realization surging into his heart, so he simply sat down right where he was.

In no time, he entered a state of epiphany.

In this state, he had almost no perception of the outside world. If an outsider were to harbor ill intentions toward him, he would be essentially at their mercy.

However, [Xu Changhe] did not pay much heed to this.

After all, this was the Primordial Saint Sect, the most benevolent place recognized by the myriad world-realms of the Light Sea, and its founder, the [Primordial Saint], was a "timely rain" [a savior] known to everyone in the Light Sea today.

Three hundred years ago, his void attainment of his dao fruit shocked countless people.

To this day, the [Primordial Saint] is the strongest powerhouse beneath the Dao Lords of the Light Sea, and the vast majority of people are convinced he will undoubtedly refine his Primordial Spirit and ascend to become a new Dao Lord.

Even more incredible, this [Primordial Saint] is a man of great love and care for the common people; even Senior [Sisui] has publicly praised him.

Such character is worth trusting.

Therefore, [Xu Changhe] chose to seclude himself in the open with peace of mind. And indeed, he was not mistaken; although many cultivators passed by him along the way, none dared to make a move. While a very small number showed greed, they ultimately chose to give up after thinking it over repeatedly.

"Forget it, forget it."

"This is the Primordial Saint Sect after all. Even without considering that [Primordial Saint], just looking at his four direct disciples, their strength is enough to make anyone cautious."

"That is the logic."

"[Myriad Treasure] , [Heaven-Mending] , [Pill Cauldron] , [Beast Taming] — the first three have all attained the Dao and are now Perfected Lords; the last one seems to be almost there too."

"They are all heroes."

As they spoke, many cultivators felt awe. They turned their heads and looked toward the vast, boundless Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea in the distance, which spread out like a go board.

However, what they didn't know was that while they were eyeing the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, at the very center of that cloud sea—the "Tian-Yuan" position of this towering go board, the formation eye known as Sacred Fire Cliff —a pair of eyes was also eyeing them, its gaze calm yet tinged with a trace of indifference.

But soon, that indifference quickly faded.

Because in the next second, two streaks of light sped over, landing on the Sacred Fire Cliff, revealing the figures of two cultivators with powerful auras.

"The sect is getting bigger now."

One of them was wearing Daoist robes, holding a jade whisk in his hand, a sword at his waist, and a hearty smile on his face. He laughed out loud directly at the person on the cliff top—

"Eldest Senior Brother, let's have another fight!"

After speaking, he boastfully picked up the jade whisk in his hand and said smugly: "I've refined a secret treasure specifically to counter those spiritual treasures of yours."

"This time, I will definitely win."

Hearing this, [Shi Tianyi] yawned somewhat boredly: "Forget it, [Pill Cauldron]. With your level of artifact refining, you're still thinking about countering me?"

"Don't forget, I am the master of the [Artifact Refining Dao] . You are an alchemist; you want to learn from me to refine spiritual treasures? Can you learn it? You know you don't have that ability, right?"

[Lian Tiandou] , upon hearing this, immediately made a miserable face:

"From ancient times, artifacts and pills are of the same family. I have long since introduced the new, treating spiritual treasures as pills. Given time, I will definitely merge these two Great Daos into one!"

"At that time, there will be no distinction between artifact refining and alchemy."

"There will only be one [Refining Dao]!"

At this, [Lian Tiandou] immediately wanted to recite a poem, perhaps something about "pointing the sword to the clouds today, refining artifacts and pills, and even refining the heavens" to boost his momentum.

However, in the next second, the voice that came from beside him instantly extinguished his high spirits—it was a gentle, crisp, and pleasant exclamation: "Senior Brother is still as heroic as he was back then; it truly makes me feel moved... Why don't you come and discuss the Dao with me thoroughly tonight?"

"Get lost!"

Before his voice had even faded, [Lian Tiandou] , who had been very heroic a moment ago, looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He retreated abruptly while drawing his sword.

[Eight Negations Wisdom Sword]!

"Slash!"

With one sword strike, all distracting thoughts instantly returned to calm. Alas, in the next second, a stronger majesty forcibly suppressed the sword light and pacified it.

Immediately following, the sword light parted, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face that stirred pity in anyone who saw it. It was [Bu Tianque] . However, compared to his youth, the current [Bu Tianque] had changed his appearance entirely; there were no male characteristics at all. One look, and he was a woman in both body and mind.

"Why must Senior Brother be like this?"

[Bu Tianque] blinked his beautiful eyes—this single action seemed to be able to squeeze out water. His gaze, rippling like light on waves, looked straight at [Lian Tiandou] .

"...Hiss!"

Seeing this, [Lian Tiandou] quickly brandished the [Eight Negations Wisdom Sword] again, but this time not to strike [Bu Tianque], but to strike himself backhand, extinguishing the inexplicable evil thoughts.

Of course, these evil thoughts didn't mean there was a problem with him.

It was purely the influence of [Bu Tianque]'s cultivation technique.

At this thought, [Lian Tiandou] gave a bitter laugh:

"You demon really become more enchanting as you grow older. Last time, you ambushed me when I wasn't prepared and chased me halfway across the Light Sea, making it known to everyone and ruining my reputation."

"Sigh, Senior Brother is truly cold-hearted."

[Bu Tianque] immediately put on a mournful look upon hearing this:

"Junior Brother only wanted to comprehend the Dao of Yin-Yang and Heaven-Man, wanting to 'extract Yang with Yin', yet I didn't want to give myself away to others at will. That is why I wanted to try it out with Senior Brother first."

"Alas, Senior Brother doesn't understand the style..."

"Stop!"

[Lian Tiandou] had a face full of black lines, hurriedly interrupting [Bu Tianque] 's words, then proactively changed the subject: "Where is [Beast Taming] ? He has been in seclusion for three years, right?"

"Not that long."

[Shi Tianyi] shook his head: "Only two and a half years."

"Still not successful?"

Mentioning the youngest junior brother, [Bu Tianque] stopped teasing his senior brother and looked serious: "With his comprehension, it truly shouldn't be this slow."

"He has his own thoughts."

[Shi Tianyi] sighed: "Rather, it is precisely because his talent is too high that the path Master chose for him does not sit well with his own heart."

"Does not sit well with his heart?" [Bu Tianque] was startled.

"In short, he feels the [Beast Taming Dao] is somewhat shallow."

"He wants to pursue his own Dao."

[Shi Tianyi] looked helpless: "Three hundred years have passed. Both you, [Heaven-Mending] , and [Pill Cauldron], have changed, and he is the same. He is no longer the little doll from three hundred years ago."

As soon as this was said, [Lian Tiandou] and [Bu Tianque] were both stunned.

Immediately following, the three of them revealed a look of nostalgia in unison.

As the saying goes, the sun sets and rises the next morning; flowers wither and bloom the same next year. Time always moves forward without pause.

In the blink of an eye, everyone has grown up.

Youth is like a little bird that will never return.

And time is such a magical thing—when experiencing it personally, one always feels it passes very slowly, but when looking back, it feels like it vanished in the blink of an eye.

"It is indeed his style."

After a moment of silence, [Lian Tiandou] spoke first, full of determination: "His talent is higher than ours; it is only right that he has higher pursuits."

"But we are not bad either!"

"In fact, don't I also feel that the [Alchemy Dao] is becoming less and less compatible with my heart? That is why I want to merge the two Daos and create a unique [Refining Dao]?"

"[Heaven-Mending] is the same; the [Dual Cultivation Dao] gradually failed to satisfy him, so he seeks more variables. Eldest Senior Brother, you should be about the same... Everyone has their own thoughts. It's just that unlike [Beast Taming], we need to settle for a while before we can truly step out on a new path."

"[Beast Taming]'s talent is extraordinary."

"He doesn't need to settle using the [Beast Taming Dao] . Having his own thoughts and the ability to practice them so early, we should be happy for him."

Hearing this, [Bu Tianque] immediately said softly:

"...Senior Brother is right."

On the other side, [Shi Tianyi] shook his head: "That may be so, but I am mainly worried that [Beast Taming] not walking the path Master paved will displease him."

"Eldest Senior Brother is worrying too much."

[Lian Tiandou] waved his hand with a smile: "As the saying goes, a master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. [Beast Taming] has ambition; Master would be too happy to be displeased!"

Is that so?

[Shi Tianyi] lowered his eyelids, noncommittal, only taking a deep look at the sky above, recalling the cold pair of eyes he saw when he was a youth.

'...I hope so.'

No matter what, both junior brothers had been called back by him. If anything unexpected truly happened, with the combined strength of the three, there would always be room for maneuver.

After all, Master should not have refined the Primordial Spirit yet.

As long as he is not yet a Dao Lord, there is still room to struggle. If the commotion becomes big enough to attract Senior [Sisui], then even Master couldn't do anything...

At this thought, [Shi Tianyi] couldn't help but laugh bitterly in his heart.

'Everything is just my speculation.'

'What Master's thoughts truly are, whether they are good or bad—I actually know nothing at all and can only blindly speculate. It is truly difficult to fathom the will of Heaven.'

Just then.

Deep within the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, a brilliant light suddenly rose from the bottom of the cloud sea, yet it was not towering, not lofty; instead, it was somewhat ordinary.

"This is... [Beast Taming] ?"

[Shi Tianyi] reacted immediately, looking out, and then frowned: "Not quite right. This Dharma light seems a little too weak."

As everyone knows, when a cultivator drives spiritual power, operates divine abilities, and manifests profundity, they all reveal brilliant Dharma light. The higher the stature and the deeper the profundity, the more magnificent and lofty the Dharma light is. This is a characteristic that naturally develops as a cultivator's realm gets higher and higher.

For example, the [Primordial Saint].

[Shi Tianyi] can still recall the scene from his youth when the other party attained his dao fruit, summoned him, and he looked him in the eye.

Was what he saw then a person?

Indeed, he had hands and feet, wore robes and a crown—he was undoubtedly a person. Yet, that towering Dharma light clearly separated him from humans.

Rather than calling him a person, it would be better to call him a silhouette.

He stood there, yet seemed to exist simultaneously in the past, present, and future, in infinite space-time, with every word seeming to be spoken by countless versions of him.

'With my level, I cannot understand Master's realm at all.'

What was most terrifying was that, at this moment, when he recalled that scene, the Master in his memory would actually feel something, turn around, and smile at him!

"...!!!"

In the next second, [Shi Tianyi] forcibly cut off his memories of the past, turning instead to continue scrutinizing this weak and ordinary Dharma light, yet one with a familiar aura.

"It is [Beast Taming] without a doubt."

"It's just too weak... No, it's not weak; the pure power actually has the Perfected Lord level. The problem is the stature; his stature is actually not yet at the Perfected Lord level?"

[Shi Tianyi] 's brow furrowed deeper.

What use is stronger power if the stature is not enough? Even with heaven-defying majesty, it is all illusion. [Beast Taming] couldn't possibly not understand this truth. What did he attain?

"Wait!"

Just then, [Lian Tiandou] suddenly shouted with some pleasant surprise. This cultivator, who was the most daring and innovative of the four brothers, could not hide his excitement.

Almost simultaneously, [Bu Tianque] also let out a soft exclamation.

Following that, [Shi Tianyi] also discovered that something was wrong. He saw that the towering Dharma light was becoming weaker and weaker, and in the end, it even turned into a mundane object.

Is this still Dharma light?

[Shi Tianyi] was shocked in his heart and became increasingly serious.

Clearly manifested from spiritual power and profundity, yet it was about the same as the light of a secular candle. To be able to be weak to this degree, instead, revealed immense ability.

Immediately, an unexpected change occurred.

"RUMBLE!"

Only hearing a deafening roar, the Dharma light that had already become mundane became even weaker, falling below the bottom line of mundane stature!

However, this fall was a recovery from an extreme situation!

Rolling stature re-nourished from the Dharma light, yet it did not go upward, but downward, triggering infinite darkness, as if linking to a bottomless abyss.

And at the end of the abyss was a doorway.

The doorway stood there, as if supporting a heaven and earth, yet it sat in the Dark Void . Complicated Dao patterns were engraved on the door, surrounded by ghostly soldiers and generals weaving to guard it.

[Ghost Gate].

Infinite profound wonder gathered on this door, covering the surrounding world. It lacked the stature of a Perfected Lord itself, yet could demote the Perfected Lord stature, making people even more afraid.

And standing silently above that doorway was a youth. On his slightly naive face was full emotion, and thick joy traveled between his brows. He couldn't help but whisper: "It's done. From now on, the dead have a chance at reincarnation; many regrets can be made up for, so that death is not the end..."

The youth was no longer the devil child of the past.

In fact, as early as the age of sixteen, he had stopped making trouble. His self-designation had also become humble and polite; he no longer called himself "Daoist" at every turn.

And today, three hundred years later.

He had already traveled the Light Sea, seen all the warmth and coldness of the world, and the many states of the mortal dust, sincerely realizing one thing—he was different from others.

He was a dragon, a phoenix, a proud son of heaven.

Except for him, even the most respected Eldest Senior Brother and Master, from his perspective, could only be said to look like people; they weren't too hard to look at.

As for Senior Brother [Heaven-Mending] and Senior Brother [Pill Cauldron], they were the harder-to-look-at ones among humans.

Besides that, 99.9% of the cultivators in this Light Sea were monkeys, and commoners went without saying—the only ones worse than them were probably amoebas.

So [Dao Tianqi] couldn't help but think this:

'I should do something.'

'I have such talent; I should do something for those who have no talent. Otherwise, wouldn't this talent bestowed by heaven be wasted?'

So he began to think.

[Beast Taming Dao]? The Dao that Master opened was good in some ways, yet he always felt the intention was not quite right. Enslaving outsiders was ultimately not to his heart's content.

He wanted to walk his own path.

He wanted to void attain a Dao.

And now, he had succeeded—only after the joy, anxiety gradually surfaced in his heart. After all, when it came down to it, he hadn't listened to Master.

'If I chose the [Beast Taming Dao] and attained the Perfected Lord status with it, perhaps I could have pushed this Dao to a higher level. But now that I have walked another path, the [Beast Taming Dao] is useless, only able to stop at the existing profound wonders. I wonder what Master thinks about this...'

He shouldn't be angry, right?

Side Story 9: Primordial Saint Attains Time

Peaks stood like a forest within the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.

Viewed from above, the entire sea of clouds resembled a go board orchestrating the masses. Each mountain peak acted as a game piece, arranged into a black and white formation.

[Thirty-Three Heavens Vertical and Horizontal Go Grand Formation]!

Ever since the Primordial Saint established his sect and opened its gates here, everyone from Perfected Lords down to Foundation Establishment cultivators came to test their mettle against this sect-guarding array.

This array was profound.

It used the intersecting lines of a Go board to illustrate the ultimate truths of heaven and earth alongside supreme wondrous methods. Walking through the formation felt like playing a match against the Great Dao itself; cultivators gained insights regardless of victory or defeat.

Because of this, ever since the establishment of the Primordial Saint Sect, various Dao lineages held it in high regard. Cultivators who rejected the Three Foundations —Dharma Body , Dao Arts , and spiritual power —in favor of wandering the light sea, attaining a World Realm Dao Fruit, or pursuing Void Attainment revered the Primordial Saint as a god and a guiding pioneer.

After all, looking across the entire sea of light today, the Three Foundations dominated. Ninety-nine percent of cultivators walked those three paths. Yet, the Primordial Saint carved out an independent Dao lineage outside of them.

This marked a true act of creation.

The reason was simple: Dao lineages and individual cultivators functioned differently. Exceptional geniuses always existed, and it was normal for such individuals to bypass the Three Foundations.

While the Three Foundations served as a universal path, proving its inclusivity, it also meant it catered to everyone. In other words: even the worst students could learn it.

The Dharma Body Dao proved especially accessible. Anyone with a pulse could learn it. With Sisui paving the way and teaching without discrimination, failing to enter the door was almost impossible.

However, for the true prodigies, forcing their high comprehension and talent into the universal Three Foundations felt like a waste. Therefore, they frequently chose alternative routes.

Here lay the problem: a cultivator's individual talent could not be popularized. Even if a few prodigies achieved Void Attainment and surpassed the Three Foundations in strength, they could not pass it down. Without inheritance, it could not be called a Dao lineage. Ultimately, it remained a path for one person, amounting to little in the light sea.

The Primordial Saint shattered this limitation.

"Four disciples under one master, and each walks a different Dao lineage! It covers pills, artifacts, beast taming, and even dual cultivation. And all of them possess a Dao Fruit capable of attaining the Perfected Lord realm!"

"Inconceivable!"

"Have you heard? The youngest Master of Beast Taming Peak is an unparalleled genius. He opened a fifth Dao lineage within the Primordial Saint Sect that leads to the Perfected Lord realm."

"Is that true?"

"Of course it's true. The [Ghost Gate] stands right there in the cloud sea. They say it can guide souls, allowing Foundation Establishment cultivators to reincarnate after death."

"The number of reincarnations is limited, though. It seems five is the maximum... But that's enough! It's equivalent to living tens or hundreds of thousands of extra years. Many elderly Foundation Establishment cultivators wept tears of joy over this. With that extra time, their hopes of becoming a Perfected Lord increase significantly."

"The Primordial Saint Sect truly lives up to its reputation."

"Indeed. Not only is the founding patriarch, the Primordial Saint, a rare man of virtue among those with great divine abilities, but his disciples also carry the world in their hearts."

"Like master, like disciples."

"Exactly. Even many cultivators previously branded as walking the Unorthodox Dao by the Three Foundations cultivators have now flocked to the Primordial Saint Sect to pursue their paths."

"Huh? The Unorthodox Dao?"

Outside the sea of clouds, the tone of the two conversing cultivators shifted slightly: "No way. The Primordial Saint Sect took in those unorthodox cultivators? Aren't they afraid of the rumors?"

"They finally broke into the ranks of the great orthodox sects. Accepting unorthodox cultivators makes it easy to be ostracized."

"At the very least, the sects following the Three Foundations will feel the Primordial Saint Sect reeks of unorthodox dirt. They likely won't want to associate with them anymore..."

"What does that matter? It's just a stopgap measure."

"If I were the Primordial Saint, I would take in the unorthodox cultivators first to hoard resources quickly in the early stages. Once the sect developed later on, I would just erase any history related to them..."

The speaking cultivator sneered.

His companion immediately shook his head. "Are you joking? Do you think a virtuous senior like the Primordial Saint would employ such despicable, shameless tactics like you?"

"Fair enough."

Their conversation flowed casually. They had shrouded themselves in spiritual power beforehand to prevent their words from leaking, completely oblivious to what stood behind them.

"The Unorthodox Dao..."

An elegant man in scholarly robes had appeared there at some unknown point. He wore a gentle smile, looking as though nothing in the world could disturb him.

Ignoring the two chatting cultivators, he strode directly into the sea of clouds. Despite the intersecting peaks and the constantly shifting layout of the cloud sea chessboard, every step he took landed on a path of survival. He moved unimpeded, easily arriving at the Tengen position in the center of the board.

"Ho ho."

Standing there, the elegant man shifted his gaze. Instead of looking at the main array-eye peak situated at the Tengen position, he turned his head toward a different direction.

That was the location of [Beast Taming Peak].

Atop the towering mountain peak stood a pitch-black portal. Billions of rays of light falling around it were instantly devoured, dissolving into the darkness behind the door.

Ordinary cultivators, even Perfected Lords , could only glimpse a fraction of this portal even when activating their true eyes. Only the elegant man could see its true form. In his eyes, a vast, boundless river flowed directly in front of the door, carrying scenes of mortal sentient beings churning in reincarnation within its waters.

"The River of Souls."

The elegant man sighed softly. "What a fine River of Souls. It is a pity it lacks a place to bear its weight. Falling into the mortal world , it easily suffers interference from the combat of Perfected Lords."

"Fellow Daoist possesses keen insight."

The heavens and earth trembled.

A grand voice echoed from the mountain peak at the Tengen position of the cloud sea chessboard. It carried a gentle smile that instantly fostered a sense of intimacy in whoever heard it.

The elegant man looked up.

He watched as the sea of clouds slowly parted, revealing a pavilion at the summit. Inside sat a tea table and two meditation cushions. A figure already occupied one cushion, currently pinching a white game piece between his fingers. He hesitated, pondering for a long time before finally giving up and conceding defeat. "Fellow Daoist has truly opened my eyes."

"You clearly cultivate the Dharma Body Dao, yet your comprehension of the transformations of heaven and earth runs so deep, and your realm stands so high. Even with the assistance of a formation, I cannot best you in the slightest."

The speaker was none other than the Primordial Saint.

Just moments ago, from the very second the elegant man stepped into the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, they had engaged in a secret contest of Dao and law.

The result came as no surprise: the Primordial Saint lost.

Even while situated within the [Thirty-Three Heavens Vertical and Horizontal Go Grand Formation], he proved no match for his opponent. He suffered total suppression in terms of stature, cultivation base, and realm.

If there was any bright spot, it was that his current "comprehension" reached extraordinary heights, mildly delaying the elegant man's progress toward the Tengen position. Otherwise, given the opponent's strength, he likely wouldn't even need to search for paths of life or death on the board; a casual stroll would have cleared the array.

"...It matters not."

The Primordial Saint felt no surprise at the massive gap between himself and Sisui. After all, he had grasped everything through that book long ago and mentally prepared himself.

Thinking of this, he immediately stood up.

A sincere smile graced his face as he cupped his hands toward the approaching elegant man:

"Taiyitian greets Fellow Daoist Sisui."

"Well met."

Sisui solemnly returned the bow, then revealed a peaceful smile. "Truthfully, this is not my first time seeing Fellow Daoist. I have been keeping an eye on you for quite some time."

"Oh?"

The Primordial Saint knew exactly what he meant but feigned confusion. "Keeping an eye on me... Could it be regarding the matter of the Three Foundations? The clash between myself and those cultivators was merely a small misunderstanding..."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I have already investigated the matter thoroughly."

Sisui waved his hand, an expression of helplessness washing over his features. "Though I lead by example, the human heart remains unfathomable. Devious incidents inevitably arise from time to time."

"Previously, some disciples under my wing indeed harbored complaints about Fellow Daoist harboring those Dao Fruit cultivators and officially establishing a sect. However, I have already reprimanded them. As they say, the Great Dao knows no hierarchy of seniority. I am actually quite delighted that Fellow Daoist managed to forge a new Dao lineage on your own."

At this point, Sisui's smile grew even brighter. "I had been fretting for a while. Having completely traversed the Dharma Body Dao, finding a way to progress further felt impossible. Yet, Fellow Daoist provided me with no small amount of inspiration."

"Only now, meeting face-to-face, do I realize I still underestimated you before."

As his words fell, amazement filled Sisui's face.

"I originally thought that your disciple, Dao Tianqi , reigned supreme in the light sea regarding the Light of Wisdom and comprehension, to the point where even I fell slightly short."

"I never expected that when compared to your disciple, you don't lack in the slightest!"

"...You overpraise me."

The Primordial Saint calmly shook his head. "Thus, the disciple need not be inferior to the master. Tianqi possesses true talent, having opened a completely new Dao lineage above my own."

"Given time, he will inevitably surpass me."

"Indeed," Sisui nodded. "From this perspective, your skill in teaching disciples surpasses my own. I should be the one seeking guidance from you."

"Regardless, with such a brilliant disciple under your wing, you must definitely—"

Sisui sighed with emotion, "—nurture him well."

The Primordial Saint's heart turned icy:

"—eliminate him as early as possible."

Beneath the harmonious atmosphere surged a grim chill. Looking at Sisui's gratified expression—as if he had found a worthy successor—the Primordial Saint felt zero emotion.

He only harbored a mockery bordering on disdain.

"Utterly naive, and arrogant too."

Whether it was his sigh about the "unfathomable human heart" or his attitude toward disciples, he acted far too naively. He didn't resemble the dignified number one Dao Lord in the slightest.

The human heart is unfathomable? What's so hard to grasp? Just assume the worst-case scenario. It's only because you insist on seeing the good in people, and when reality disappoints you, you slap the label of "unfathomable" on it. In reality, to the Primordial Saint, predicting the human heart couldn't be easier.

Then there was his attitude toward disciples.

Nurture? Spare me the joke. The Immortal Dao is solitary. The entire purpose of raising a disciple is to better serve one's own cultivation, not to sacrifice oneself to complete their path.

At the end of the day—

"They are nothing more than a bunch of useful tools, yet he treats them as true prodigies. This naive attitude is simply too arrogant."

Only someone with leeway could afford to maintain such an attitude.

Because his comprehension was exceptional, because his realm was high, and because he wielded power, he had ample room to maneuver in whatever he did. That leeway allowed him to remain naive and stubbornly cling to his morals.

"I possess no such luxury."

With this thought, the Primordial Saint's heart grew even colder, yet the smile on his face became significantly warmer. "To receive Fellow Daoist's praise, Tianqi has truly made something of himself."

The two parties conversed for a little while longer.

"Incredible."

Eventually, Sisui couldn't help but say, "I observe that although Fellow Daoist has attained the Perfected Lord realm, the Dao resonance around you feels faintly incomplete, as if it hasn't reached total perfection?"

It finally arrived.

The Primordial Saint rode the current of the conversation, immediately releasing a sigh. "I will not hide it from Fellow Daoist. I harbor a bit of ambition. I wish to attain an unprecedented, entirely unique Great Dao."

"It is called [Time]."

"Unfortunately, my progress remains limited, leaving me trapped in a bottleneck to this day... I have a premonition that if I can achieve Void Attainment in this Dao, I will have a great chance of becoming a Dao Lord in the future!"

"Oh?"

These words piqued Sisui's interest. "I initially came here intending to invite Fellow Daoist to listen to my sermon, but it seems I would only be making a fool of myself."

After speaking, Sisui formed hand seals and calculated for a moment. The Light of Wisdom swirled in his eyes before he frowned. "[Time]... Indeed, I have never touched upon this Dao before. However, based on a preliminary deduction, it might connect to the [Inevitable Fate] among the ten Daos of the light sea. If you manage to achieve something with it, your path forward will undeniably be bright."

He then cast another glance at the Primordial Saint.

"Haha... I see."

A second later, Sisui burst into sudden laughter. "No wonder Fellow Daoist acted so accommodating. Are you perhaps asking a favor of me? Does attaining [Time] require my assistance?"

"...I cannot hide it from Fellow Daoist."

Upon hearing this, the Primordial Saint adopted an expression as if his petty schemes had been exposed, feigning a bit of embarrassment. "It is merely a small matter, but it must be you."

"It matters not!"

Sisui waved his hand forthrightly, clearly delighted. "It seems Fellow Daoist already formulated a plan long ago? If I get to witness it, I'll be the one reaping the benefits."

The Primordial Saint immediately bowed deeply in gratitude.

Sisui reached out to support him.

Looking from afar, the two appeared as intimate as lifelong friends. Both wore expressions of utmost sincerity, carving an indelible page into the annals of history.

"I fear I will never fix my poor judgment of character."

Watching this scene play out in the sea of clouds from beyond the Dark Void , another Sisui released a long, drawn-out sigh. This was the real Sisui , the one cast into history by Lu Yang.

Right now, his scalp practically tingled with embarrassment.

How should he describe it? It felt like someone had dug up his darkest, most cringeworthy past and forced him to watch it with them. It induced an indescribable, toe-curling level of awkwardness.

How on earth did he place his trust in the wrong person, the Primordial Saint, back then?

"So that's how it happened..."

Outside of history, Lu Yang , who sat upright in Zixiao Palace, stroked his chin and couldn't help but say, "So Senior Sisui actually aided the Primordial Saint in attaining [Time]?"

Because he attained [Time], he subsequently acquired [Inevitable Fate].

Because the Primordial Saint obtained [Inevitable Fate], he ascended to the heavens in a single bound, paving the way for hundreds of thousands of years of moral decay and a ruling era marked by the collapse of the human heart...

He had found the war criminal!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang grew curious and couldn't resist transmitting his voice to the real Sisui within history. "Senior, exactly what did you help the Primordial Saint do back then?"

Sisui fired back, "If Fellow Daoist wants to know, just review history directly. Why bother asking me?"

Lu Yang replied without hesitation, "It just hits differently if Senior confesses it out loud."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Sisui lowered his voice, his face etched with resignation. "The very first, primitive version of [Paramita] ... The Primordial Saint and I actually built it together."

Side Story 10: Sisui Swallows Yin-Yang!

Atop Sacred Fire Cliff in the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea. The Primordial Saint and Sisui sat facing each other. The Primordial Saint gestured with his fingers, reflecting profound immortal light, finally outlining a complex diagram in front of Sisui.

"...I see." Looking at the diagram, Sisui gave a slight nod. "You want to forge a supreme treasure that can overlook the light sea, granting you a special perspective that transcends time."

"Fellow Daoist sees clearly." The Primordial Saint smiled. "I call it [Paramita]. If successful, I can use this treasure to look down upon the history of the light sea and truly comprehend the transformations of [Time]."

Outside the light sea, neither time nor space existed within the boundless Dark Void. All elements that built myriad phenomena blended and merged together. Anyone who ventured too deep would lose their way. Even a Dao Lord was no exception; it remained a place every cultivator in the light sea feared. Yet, in this moment, the Primordial Saint proposed a brand new concept.

"Utilize the characteristics of the Dark Void to establish a foothold separate from the light sea, allowing us to overlook its operations and changes from a completely new angle."

"I call it a [Dao-Attaining land]."

The Primordial Saint detailed his plan and presented the preliminary design. Sisui clicked his tongue in wonder, yet doubts surfaced in his heart. 'Strange.'

If the Primordial Saint shared his idea with the other Perfected Lords of the current light sea, it would inevitably draw ridicule. They would view it as a delusionally arrogant act. The reason was simple—the essence of the Dark Void was chaos.

Eternal loss was its true nature. Establishing a foothold there proved incredibly difficult. Observing the light sea through the Dark Void was even harder; curious Perfected Lords had already attempted similar ideas in the past. The result? It didn't work.

To observe the light sea from the Dark Void , one had to remain unaffected by it—in other words, completely sever all ties with the light sea. Here lay the problem. Severing all ties with the light sea and diving deep into the Dark Void... wasn't that just losing one's way? What the hell could you observe then? How was that any different from suicide?

But if you didn't sever the connection, even while standing in the Dark Void , whatever you observed would be influenced by your tie to the light sea. You could never obtain a true result, rendering the observation meaningless. In the eyes of others, this plan equated to taking one's own life.

'Except for me.' Sisui lowered his eyes, looking at the earnest Primordial Saint sitting before him. Under the heavens, perhaps only he could resolve the fatal flaw of this proposal. He knew of a place. It stood independent of the light sea and resided within the Dark Void, yet one would not get lost there. A grander, mightier force forcibly preserved it. [Ancestral Dragon Manor]. Of course, it only bore that name. Based on his own investigations, the Ancestral Dragon likely named it later; the place had no actual connection to him.

Regardless, the [Ancestral Dragon Manor] perfectly matched the Primordial Saint's vision for the [Dao-Attaining land]. It could resolve all related issues. Coincidentally, besides the Ancestral Dragon, among the trillions of cultivators in the light sea , only he currently possessed the qualifications to enter the [Ancestral Dragon Manor].

'Did he know this beforehand?' Sisui studied the Primordial Saint. 'Did he know all along that I am the only one in the entire light sea capable of solving his problem with [Paramita], and that is why he sought me out?' It was hard to judge.

From another angle, as the number one Dao Lord of the light sea, people naturally sought him out to solve their problems. For example, the version of him meeting the Primordial Saint right now was just an incarnation. He had thousands of other incarnations scattered across the preaching platforms of various great world realms, teaching other disciples. Every single second, disciples across all stages—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Perfected Lords —sought his guidance.

"Hmm..." A second later, Sisui focused his mind, drawing roughly seventy percent of his Light of Wisdom to concentrate on the matter at hand. After a long while, he reached a definitive conclusion: "It's feasible." If he traveled to the [Ancestral Dragon Manor] and utilized its overlooking perspective, he could indeed help the Primordial Saint forge this [Paramita].

More importantly, this actually benefited him. This perspective of looking down upon the light sea sparked a new idea. Coupled with the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] he recently discovered, it might help him break free from the current shackles of the Dharma Body Dao and find a path forward.

"...I understand." Thinking of this, Sisui raised his head and looked at the Primordial Saint. "I can help you with this. However, establishing a foothold in the Dark Void requires sufficiently high-quality materials..."

"That is not an issue." The Primordial Saint raised his hand and brought out the Void Stone he obtained from the [Supreme Grandmaster]. He spoke calmly, "I have already prepared all the necessary precious materials." He only lacked the talent to execute it.

"Since that is the case, let us not delay." This endeavor didn't just help the Primordial Saint; it also expanded his own Dao path. Furthermore, Sisui was decisive by nature. He immediately activated his dao arts.

"Fellow Daoist, wait here for a moment." Before his voice even faded, Sisui's figure vanished from the spot. Almost simultaneously, in every corner of the light sea , one Sisui after another stood up. Then, they too vanished one by one. An earth-shattering boom took their place.

"Rumble!" In an instant, every Foundation Establishment cultivator and Perfected Lord who could gaze upon the Sea of Bitterness sensed it. They raised their heads, looking toward that boundless land of stature.

The [Sea of Bitterness] encompassed all concepts of the light sea. It embodied the suffering of all living beings, the suffering of heaven and earth, and the suffering of the mortal world. It represented the pinnacle of all statures in the mortal realm. It was where the Great Dao and the Dao Fruits resided. Yet, at this moment, the foundational ground of the light sea's stature cultivation system shattered in the blink of an eye!

The infinite waters of Concept split evenly. This differed from splitting actual seawater; it was a visual effect. In essence, countless concepts within the [Sea of Bitterness] were forcibly integrated. Or rather, an entity with a far stronger presence gradually rose from the depths of the Sea of Bitterness, forcefully assimilating all surrounding concepts.

That was... "The Dharma Body Dao!" At this moment, every Perfected Lord cultivating the Dharma Body Dao revealed expressions of reverence and longing, their eyes shining as they gazed toward the Sea of Bitterness. It was a beam of light. As time passed, the light gradually reshaped itself, eventually transforming into an indescribably towering giant that held up the sky.

He stood atop the Sea of Bitterness. The seawater, representing the myriad phenomena of the light sea, only reached his knees. The Dao Fruits bobbing within it were merely the size of grains of sand to him.

Millions of profound wonders shuttled and leaped across his body, reflecting mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, sentient beings, and many other scenes.

Then, He took a step. With the first step, he walked out of the Sea of Bitterness. He pulled one foot out of the water and planted it firmly on the surface, no longer sinking a fraction of an inch. With the second step, He stood entirely upon the Sea of Bitterness. His towering hand, looking as though it could pluck the sun, moon, and stars, stretched to its absolute limit. It pierced the barrier of the Sea of Bitterness , plunging into the endless Dark Void.

"Rumble." This single movement whipped up unimaginable waves. The vast seawater surged, then came crashing down toward the lower-stature mortal world.

The mutation from the higher stature fell into the lower-stature mortal world , manifesting as an indescribable, massive meteor shower that swept across the entire light sea.

Trillions of shooting stars plummeted from the dome of the light sea. Some burned bright, others dim, some strong, some weak, but they slammed into every cultivator equally.

"Ugh..." Countless Perfected Lords witnessing this magnificent spectacle grimaced. Various dao arts bloomed in iridescent colors to block the falling light streams. As Perfected Lords , they bore the brunt of the impact when the Sea of Bitterness was struck. After they weakened the blow, the Foundation Establishment cultivators had a much easier time.

Seeing this, the Primordial Saint couldn't help but think: 'On what grounds?'

'When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up. When the Sea of Bitterness ripples, those with higher cultivation bases bear the pressure, while these lower-tier cultivators get to hide under the protection of Perfected Lords.'

It was far too unfair!

Cultivating to the very peak only to become a protective umbrella for the weak—did that make any sense? If so, what use was having this cultivation?

The strong couldn't ruthlessly exploit the weak? What a joke!

This system was undeniably flawed.

The Primordial Saint's eyes shifted. His Primordial Spirit fire burned bright, allowing him to observe many Perfected Lords. Among them, a significant portion harbored similar emotional fluctuations. This revealed an opportunity.

"Sisui's power does not lie in his individual strength."

"It lies in the system he built, the current framework of the light sea... It's nauseating. I must shatter it and impose a more rational order upon the light sea."

Right then, Sisui's voice echoed from the Dark Void: "Fellow Daoist, everything is ready. You may cross over."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!" Without a second of hesitation, the Primordial Saint vanished from the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea. He escaped into the Dark Void and saw Sisui's figure, his Primordial Spirit fire illuminating the great thousand worlds.

"Over here." Sisui waved at him with an amiable smile. "When [Paramita] establishes its foundation, its effects will also reach their peak. It is a rare cultivation opportunity."

"Although I constructed this place, the concept and methods were your idea, Fellow Daoist."

"We should share this opportunity."

The Primordial Saint fell silent for a moment. He couldn't help but sigh internally: 'Although I will destroy it in the future, for now... this system still has its merits.'

Deep within the Dark Void. Sisui manifested his figure. A thread of intent connected to the [Ancestral Dragon Manor] , overlooking the light sea. He then raised his hand, palm facing up, and slowly gathered mystical energy.

Streaks of golden light appeared. The light wasn't dazzling or magnificent; instead, it appeared ordinary, like the first rays of morning sunlight, carrying a dreamy, hazy color. Quickly, as the colors pooled together, the light gained substance, turning into a high platform.

Under Sisui's careful manipulation, he anchored it securely to a node within the Dark Void. Based on his deductions while looking down from the [Ancestral Dragon Manor], this was the perfect location.

"Fellow Daoist, come." Sisui waved at the Primordial Saint in a friendly manner. The Primordial Saint naturally didn't decline, immediately walking over and sinking his figure into the hazy morning light.

"Rumble!" In an instant, the Primordial Saint's consciousness seemingly teleported to a boundless height. When he looked at the light sea, the scenery in his eyes completely changed. The light sea in his vision was no longer confined to a partial perspective; it turned linear. It no longer anchored to the "present," but looked forward to the "past" and backward to the "future." In a trance, he seemed to hear the surging of tides and saw a ceaselessly flowing river.

The Long River of Time! It wasn't that such a river physically existed. Rather, based on the Primordial Saint's understanding of time, the Great Dao ultimately manifested as a surging river. The river surged forward, never to return. Time would not turn back, nor could it be altered. Just like [Inevitable Fate].

"Haha... Hahahaha!" At that moment, the intense emotion shattered the limits of the incomplete [Heaven-Reaching Incantation of Seven Emotions] , drawing a long-lost burst of maniacal laughter from the Primordial Saint. He succeeded! He truly felt it. [Time] manifested because of him, and [Inevitable Fate] was within arm's reach. He finally took the most crucial step!

However, this irrepressible joy didn't last long. No one even noticed the manifestation of [Time] or the response of [Inevitable Fate]. Because a split second later, a massive mutation occurred.

"So that's how it is." On the other side of the primordial [Paramita] , Sisui, also bathed in the morning light, opened his eyes. He exhaled a long breath, seeming to expel all his doubts. Then, the light sea reacted! An even greater phenomenon immediately suppressed the shifts in [Time] and [Inevitable Fate]. Even the concepts of the entire Sea of Bitterness froze in that instant.

The massive ocean of concepts seemingly turned into a bright mirror. Inside and outside the mirror, between the surface and the interior, one side was the material light sea, while the other was the eternal dark aspect of consciousness. The colors of the two blended and aligned. Finally, they condensed into a single thread of heavenly light.

[Yin-Yang].

"The light sea isn't everything; there is also the dark aspect. My path in the light sea has reached its end. To progress further, I must reach into the dark aspect of consciousness."

The Primordial Saint: "???"

Sisui didn't shy away from him. Instead, he frankly spoke of his vision for the Great Dao, his eyes filled with the comprehension and joy of cracking a mystery.

Yet, the Primordial Saint's heart held only shock. 'Swallowing Yin-Yang?!'

'This shouldn't be... How could it happen so early!'

'Is it because of me? [Paramita] helped me attain [Time], but it also helped Sisui comprehend the profound secret of merging Yin and Yang hundreds of thousands of years ahead of schedule?'

'Are you kidding me!'

The intense shock rooted the Primordial Saint to the spot. And all of this was clearly witnessed by two figures outside of history.

"Sure enough, just as I predicted." Inside Zixiao Palace, Lu Yang calmly sipped his tea. "Plans can't keep up with changes. Since this is a restart, how could the Primordial Saint not encounter a single accident?"

Back in the day, how many accidents did he run into during each of his restarts?

He would lay out a plan one second, only to realize it was impossible the next, forcing him to improvise. Dying outright because of it was a common occurrence.

"Even a peerless genius like me struggled that much."

"Did the Primordial Saint really think he'd be the exception?" Running into accidents was the norm!

Furthermore, the Primordial Saint attaining [Time] triggered [Inevitable Fate]. As the mortal enemy of [Inevitable Fate] , how could the [Variable] not react at all?

Thinking of this, Lu Yang snapped his head up. In the real world, the [Door of Transcendence] located at infinite heights seemed to sense something, emitting an extremely faint fluctuation.

"Feeling it?" Lu Yang sneered, setting down his teacup. "Not enough. The reaction is too small. Looks like I need to push a little harder."

Side Story 11: The Golden Age of the Immortal Dao

Don't panic. Things are still under my control.

Restraining his expression, the Primordial Saint looked at the sudden dawn of realization and the mixture of shock and joy on Sisui's face. He quickly calmed his own profound shock and began adjusting his plans.

The matter with the Ancestral Dragon must be moved up.

Sisui's momentum is established; no cultivator in the light sea can defy him now. I must borrow the Ancestral Dragon's hand to shatter his momentum and snap his Dao. Only then will I have the opportunity to overtake him.

Fortunately, this wouldn't be difficult.

Compared to cultivators, the Ancestral Dragon was far easier to fool. It was, ultimately, just a beast—and one possessing only petty cleverness and remarkably low foresight at that.

With this thought, the Primordial Saint calmed down again. He stopped dwelling on Sisui's illogical and sudden breakthrough and instead focused his attention on the [Yin-Yang] concept manifesting in the Sea of Bitterness. Right now, this Great Dao was being tightly gripped by the towering giant that Sisui had transformed into, slowly integrating into him.

"The Great Dao serves me..."

Witnessing the absolute control Sisui currently exerted over the Dharma Body Dao, the Primordial Saint felt almost dazzled, entirely immersed in the profound wonder of it.

Whatever I am, the Great Dao reflects!

To be blunt, if the Dharma Body Dao were renamed the 'Sisui Dao' today, it would make perfect sense; it was completely dyed in Sisui's colors.

And now, he intended to expand this control over the Dharma Body Dao to the [Yin-Yang]. That towering giant represented the current Dharma Body Dao, and the blazing fire flickering within was Sisui's Primordial Spirit. One was material, the other spiritual—perfectly corresponding to the concept of [Yin-Yang].

This was a tempering process.

At this very moment, Sisui was using his own physical body as an anvil and his Primordial Spirit as a hammer to forcibly nail his very existence into the depths of the Great Dao of [Yin-Yang]!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Deafening heavenly sounds echoed through the Sea of Bitterness, much like the heavy strikes of a hammer forging a weapon. It caused the sea to churn, sending shockwaves crashing into the Mortal World.

Instantly, expressions of distress washed over cultivators everywhere.

This time, the fluctuations even impacted the Perfected Lord level. The cultivation bases of a few unorthodox Perfected Lords who had attained World Realm Dao Fruits loosened, their statures faintly sinking.

And the damage at the Perfected Lord level quickly spread to the Foundation Establishment cultivators below. Although they faced far less pressure, their cultivation was significantly weaker. Moreover, while Perfected Lords could rely on their Dao Fruits and the Great Dao to anchor themselves in the Sea of Bitterness, Foundation Establishment cultivators had no such foothold.

"No... NO!"

In a small World Realm within the light sea, a Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly screamed in terror. He had only recently established his foundation and tethered himself to a Dao Fruit.

His foundation was unstable, his divine abilities incomplete.

And worse yet, his Dao Fruit was an unorthodox one.

With so many disadvantages stacked together, he was practically the weakest Foundation Establishment cultivator alive. Therefore, he became the very first to break under this cataclysm sweeping the entire light sea.

He fell.

A collapse of stature!

The fragile Dao Foundation connecting him to his Dao Fruit shattered completely. His Foundation Establishment stature crumbled with it, and it seemed he would be smashed to pieces as he plummeted into the Mortal World.

But right at that moment—

"Amitabha!"

A sonorous Buddhist chant resonated in all directions, accompanied by a gleaming golden rope that descended from above to catch the falling Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Immediately following was a surge of tremendous divine sense.

Still drowning in despair, the falling cultivator suddenly discovered his stature stabilized by an external force. Surprise mixed with deep confusion.

Until that overwhelming divine sense barged into his sea of consciousness.

"Ah...!"

A second later, he let out a soft sigh driven purely by instinct. Through his exchange with the divine sense, he switched the target he had originally resonated with during Foundation Establishment.

Previously, he resonated with the unorthodox Dao Fruit of his home World Realm.

Now, he resonated with a magnificent Great Dao that far surpassed any unorthodox Dao Fruit, spanning across the Sea of Bitterness like an unfolding twelve-petaled lotus platform.

[Artifact Refining Dao].

His face filled with devotion as he respectfully bowed toward the lotus-shaped Great Dao. In a trance, he seemingly saw a towering figure smiling from the lotus platform.

Excellent!

Excellent!

"It's just a stopgap measure."

Shi Tianyi frowned deeply, looking down at the Foundation Establishment cultivator with a light sigh. "Fortunately, I was nearby. Otherwise, there is no logic that says he would have survived."

Thinking of this, he looked up again.

His gaze swept in all directions. Across the boundless light sea and the billions of World Realms, how many cultivators were just like that Foundation Establishment cultivator? And how many could he actually save?

Save one, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand?

It treated the symptoms but not the root cause. It was all in vain.

Shi Tianyi restrained his expression, the arrogant thoughts of his youth resurfacing in his mind. "Perhaps I could forge an unparalleled supreme treasure mimicking the Sea of Bitterness."

The Sea of Bitterness could bear the weight of Great Daos and Dao Fruits, serving as the foothold for Perfected Lords.

If he could forge a Dharma treasure similar to the Sea of Bitterness to bear the Dao Foundations of Foundation Establishment cultivators, wouldn't he be able to save the trillions of cultivators in the light sea?

And this offered other benefits as well.

Shi Tianyi shifted his gaze to the Sea of Bitterness. There, Sisui was still using all his strength to swallow [Yin-Yang], the escaping fluctuations growing smaller and smaller.

Senior is intentionally controlling it.

Clearly, Sisui realized the impact his swallowing of [Yin-Yang] had on the Mortal World and tried his best to restrain it, but the damage still existed.

Because the light sea was far too fragile.

The Mortal World lay directly beneath the Sea of Bitterness, so even the slightest ripple would affect it. Because of this, the combat of Perfected Lords frequently implicated countless sentient beings.

"If I can insert a brand-new boundary between the Sea of Bitterness and the Mortal World—one that can absorb the impact from the Sea of Bitterness above to reinforce the Mortal World and prevent cultivators from destroying the light sea, while also making Foundation Establishment easier and less dangerous below... can I pull it off?"

"Regardless, it's worth a try!"

With this thought, a fighting spirit flared in Shi Tianyi's heart.

"Perfect timing. Ever since that Beast Taming fellow established the [Ghost Gate], he's been parading it in front of me all day. Now it's my turn to give him a surprise."

I'll show him that the Eldest Senior Brother is always the Eldest Senior Brother!

"If I succeed, I'll call it the [Foundation Establishment Realm]!"

The phenomenon sweeping the light sea lasted a full forty-nine days before finally ceasing, ultimately manifesting as a brilliant light that illuminated every World Realm.

Its color was black and white, its light a chaotic blend.

The moment they laid eyes on this heavenly light, every sentient being in the light sea naturally heard a peaceful yet resolute voice echo in their minds.

"All of you should bear witness to my great undertaking that far surpasses our predecessors."

And so, all cultivators bowed.

Dao Arts, Spiritual Power, the Five Elements, Inevitable Fate, Variable, Destiny, Fortune, Tribulation... Every Great Dao and Dao Fruit was entirely overshadowed by that black and white heavenly light.

Above and below the heavens, this Dao reigned supreme!

In a corner of the light sea, within a World Realm constructed entirely of a cosmic starry sky, the Spiritual Power Dao Lord, Du Xuan, abruptly stood up, shock flooding his eyes.

"How is this possible..."

Before this, there was essentially no fundamental difference between his Spiritual Power Dao and Sisui's Dharma Body Dao. The Spiritual Power Dao was only weaker because he, as its Dao Lord, was inferior.

But now everything changed. To his senses, the Dharma Body Dao—which previously stood on equal footing with the other Two Foundations—had leaped forward. Not only did it surpass the Spiritual Power Dao and the Dao of Dao Arts in terms of quality, but it also became the absolute leader of the Three Foundations, forming an innate suppression over the other two Great Daos!

In other words: "From now on, when cultivators of the Spiritual Power Dao or the Dao of Dao Arts face those stinking Dharma Body cultivators, even with 100% of their profound strength, they can only unleash 70% at most?"

Was there any justice left in the world?

The Spiritual Power Dao was the root of cultivation, and the Dao of Dao Arts was the crystallization of a cultivator's wisdom. Yet, they were suddenly forced to bow down to the Dharma Body Dao, a path that relied solely on throwing punches and kicks?

Unacceptable!

Thinking of this, Du Xuan felt worse than if he had eaten shit. He could calmly accept that Sisui was stronger than him; after all, Sisui had always been stronger.

But he absolutely refused to accept that other idiotic brute-force Dharma Body cultivators could inexplicably step on his head just because Sisui elevated their Dao!

For a moment, Du Xuan's gaze grew darker and darker.

Similar changes in expression occurred among other Perfected Lords harboring hidden motives. Watching the ascendant Sisui, they twisted like shadows under the sunlight.

"Sisui... is far too strong."

He was incredibly strong before, but he hadn't completely widened the gap. Yet now... with him watching, many things had to be done in total secrecy to avoid detection.

"Ridiculous. Detestable."

"I am a dignified Perfected Lord. I have cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years, yet I have to sneak around and find alternative methods just to sacrifice a World Realm to refine a True Treasure. It is an absurdity."

The shadows twisted, deep and dark.

However, the sun high in the sky was so blindingly bright that not a single shadow dared to show its head, rapidly melting away in the heavenly light like spring snow.

Thus, only songs of praise remained.

Praising this golden age of the Immortal Dao, praising Dao Lord Sisui who single-handedly forged it—while secretly cursing and praying for this golden age to end as quickly as possible.

And hoping it would never return.

Above the fragments of history, the real-world Sisui let out a helpless sigh.

A second later, he couldn't help but look up at Lu Yang, who sat upright in Zixiao Palace. Lu Yang also looked down, their eyes meeting for an instant.

Then, both burst out laughing simultaneously.

"I thought Senior was going to ask me if what you did back then was right or wrong," Lu Yang said calmly, taking a sip of tea as he looked at Sisui.

"Fellow Daoist underestimates me."

Sisui shook his head. "Since I resolved to do it, even if it was a mistake, it was still right! If I lacked even that much spirit, how could I have ever attained the Primordial Spirit?"

This was the [True Self].

"If there is anything I regret, it is only that I was not strong enough back then to suppress all the chaos, not that there were flaws in my ideals."

Sisui was very frank. Hearing this, Lu Yang shifted his gaze to another corner of the historical fragments. "As Senior said, if the light sea were populated only by cultivators, perhaps Senior would have truly succeeded back then. Unfortunately, an unexpected existence became the pivotal point that altered history."

The Ancestral Dragon.

The Innate Dao God symbolizing the origin, its mere existence equated to the Nascent Soul stage. At this moment, it undoubtedly stood far above an era of cultivators where a Dao Lord was only at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core.

The very second Sisui successfully swallowed [Yin-Yang], the shockwaves sweeping across the light sea finally awakened a massive consciousness slumbering deep within the Sea of Bitterness.

"Incredible."

The awakening of this consciousness finally stirred the behemoth resting in the Sea of Bitterness. The towering dragon head slowly opened its eyes, glowing like molten magma.

The Primordial Saint attaining [Time], Sisui swallowing [Yin-Yang]—every change was captured and deduced by this consciousness in an instant, revealing the causes and effects. Its higher stature meant the light sea held almost no secrets from it, and precisely because of this, it understood the magnitude of what had just transpired.

"That human..."

The Ancestral Dragon shifted its eyes, gazing toward the Dark Void, in the direction of Sisui. "So strong, incredibly strong... He is faintly approaching my stature!"

How many years had it been?

The last time it looked at him, the difference between them was like a dragon and an ant. But now, he had leaped to become a ferocious beast, like a lion or a tiger.

Although a significant gap remained between them, the other party had already crossed more than half of what should have been an insurmountable chasm. Given time, would he walk even further? Would he truly cross the chasm, stand shoulder to shoulder with it, or even surpass it?

The Ancestral Dragon could not tolerate such a possibility.

And the more it imagined it, the heavier its sense of crisis grew. The fatigue born of comfort was swept away completely, as if a basin of ice water had been splashed over its head.

"How did it come to this?"

"They were clearly just seeds scattered casually back then, yet they have grown into this... Are humans perhaps bodies close to the Dao, favored by heaven and earth?"

As an Innate Dao God, it was born with the absolute peak stature. Its power was undeniable. But when heaven and earth grant something, they naturally strip something else away. At the very least, when it came to the Light of Wisdom and comprehension, no matter how proud the Ancestral Dragon was, it had to admit it fell short of cultivators.

Far short.

It had secretly tried to learn those cultivation methods of the cultivators—the Dao Fruits, the Great Daos—but it couldn't understand them at all, unable to grasp even a sliver of it.

Qi Refining? I was born with it.

Foundation Establishment? That's a prerequisite to mastering a Great Dao, but I already command the [Five Elements]. I don't need it.

Attaining the Dao? I am naturally the Dao Lord of the [Five Elements]. I don't attain the Dao; the Great Dao attains me. Why do you people make it so complicated?

So the Ancestral Dragon gave up.

They were just a bunch of lower lifeforms anyway. These so-called cultivation systems were nothing but methods for the weak. As an innate powerhouse, it had no need to pay attention to them.

That was what the Ancestral Dragon originally thought.

But now, after witnessing Sisui's success, its sense of crisis ignited, and it truly recognized the terrifying potential hidden within the cultivator population for the first time.

Things couldn't continue like this.

"I have to think of a way."

The Ancestral Dragon tried to force its stiff brain to think of a countermeasure. It quickly reached a conclusion— although its comprehension definitely couldn't match Sisui's...

It didn't matter.

It could just copy him.

"That person used his Dharma Body to swallow [Yin-Yang], establishing two poles with his physical body and Primordial Spirit... Alright, I'll copy that exactly, and I'll do it even better than him!"

I can do this.

But how?

The Ancestral Dragon's tiny brain spun rapidly before it finally clapped its metaphorical hands. "[Five Elements], Five Heavenly Destinies! That's right! I command the [Five Elements], and there are five profound wonders in total."

"Perfectly, there are also Five Heavenly Destinies."

"Since that's the case, I'll use the [Five Elements] to swallow all Five Great Heavenly Destinies! He swallowed one, but I'll swallow five! That way, I will definitely be stronger than him in the future!"

The Ancestral Dragon felt it was truly a genius.

However, when the plan came down to the specific steps of execution, it ran into trouble again. After all, it knew absolutely nothing about the actual mechanics of swallowing other Great Daos.

Just as the Ancestral Dragon was pondering this.

Suddenly, a voice floated across the Sea of Bitterness, carrying an affable gentleness: "Senior Ancestral Dragon, Taiyitian requests an audience."

Side Story 12: Forge a Better Ending!

The mutation triggered by Sisui swallowing Yin-Yang in the Sea of Bitterness gradually ceased. The seawater, piled high with layered concepts, returned to tranquility, free of stormy waves.

The Ancestral Dragon raised its eyes.

Above the sea, a figure stood with his hands behind his back. Seemingly sensing the dragon's gaze, he turned his head, revealing a peaceful and elegant face.

Yet, the Ancestral Dragon felt an indescribable sense of strangeness from him. The man clearly stood right in front of it, but an invisible barrier seemingly separated them. If the dragon did not elevate its stature beyond the opponent's, it couldn't even get close to him.

What profound wonder was this?

The Ancestral Dragon's intent rippled slightly. After a moment of silence, it sent out a wisp of divine sense and created an object out of thin air, manifesting the figure of an eerie youth.

"Taiyitian." The Ancestral Dragon stated the title the visitor had just announced and sneered.

"What arrogance. You dare to take such a name? Are you not afraid of karmic retribution?"

Names held power.

And the name [Taiyitian], in its eyes, was a bit too grand. One could take it, but without enough fortune and destiny, they wouldn't be able to bear its weight.

The result of failing to bear it was death.

However, the Ancestral Dragon quickly reconsidered. This person's profound wonder was bizarre, and he had refined a Primordial Spirit. His cultivation base stood at the absolute pinnacle of the light sea.

Reaching this step proved he possessed the ability to bear his name. This was extraordinary. In terms of potential, he wasn't necessarily inferior to the cultivator who just swallowed [Yin-Yang]... Thinking of this, the Ancestral Dragon's previously careless expression grew slightly solemn as it paced in front of the Primordial Saint.

Its magma-like dragon pupils stared straight at the person before it.

"Inevitable Fate? Karma?"

"No, it looks like it but it's not."

The Ancestral Dragon frowned deeply. It couldn't see through the profound wonder surrounding the Primordial Saint at this moment. It could only vaguely sense a connection to [Inevitable Fate].

Instead, seeing this, the Primordial Saint amiably explained, "This is [Time]."

"This junior's true body currently resides in the outer heaven, traveling with Sisui who swallowed [Yin-Yang]. I can only use this future body to meet Senior first."

A future body?

The Primordial Saint unraveled the riddle, and following the clues, the Ancestral Dragon finally discovered a few hints. No wonder it felt an invisible barrier separated them earlier.

This barrier was time.

The Primordial Saint used [Time] to divide himself, manifesting the past, present, and future. The one who sneaked over to meet it was the incarnation symbolizing the future.

"Why do you want to see me?"

The Ancestral Dragon put on airs. The Primordial Saint's displayed profound wonder had piqued its curiosity; otherwise, did he really think anyone could just meet it?

An ordinary Perfected Lord , or even a Great Perfected Lord, wasn't fit to touch a single one of its dragon whiskers. Just like people at the summit and the foot of a mountain would never intersect... From this perspective, the Primordial Saint locating it and transmitting his voice sufficiently proved his high cultivation.

"Three sentences."

The Ancestral Dragon's tone grew faint. "I will give you a chance to speak three sentences. If you cannot convince me, don't blame me for destroying this future body of yours."

This beast was exactly the same as always.

On the surface, the Primordial Saint looked respectful, but his heart sneered endlessly— It has the cultivation base and realm, but lacks the corresponding Light of Wisdom and comprehension.

What Innate Dao God.

For the light sea to birth such a thing, it must truly be blind... Yet to ensure the plan proceeds smoothly, I currently have to borrow this beast's power.

Thinking of this, the Primordial Saint felt somewhat helpless.

He had to admit that despite preparing himself mentally long ago, facing Sisui, the number one Dao Lord of the light sea, placed immense pressure on him.

How infuriating.

To deal with Sisui, I had to deploy my future body to see this Ancestral Dragon. If it truly destroys my future body, I fear it will damage my recent cultivation.

At this moment, the Primordial Saint split his mind in two. His main body conversed with Sisui, while his incarnation met with the Ancestral Dragon. Although his words and actions appeared flawless, having to navigate between stronger entities, risking everything to find a flaw to overcome them, made him deeply irritable.

He couldn't help but think:

Compared to the weak overcoming the strong, I prefer bullying the weak. Compared to Sisui and the Ancestral Dragon, why aren't my opponents Perfected Lords, Foundation Establishment , and Qi Refining cultivators?

Heaven is truly blind!

Despite this, the Primordial Saint only dared to grumble internally. Outwardly, he strove to maintain his grand and righteous image. He looked at the Ancestral Dragon and said in a low voice, "I came this time to point Senior toward a clear path."

The first sentence.

As his words fell, the Primordial Saint directly ignited the Light of Wisdom in his eyes. The brilliant light nearly blinded the Ancestral Dragon, serving as a demonstration of his capabilities.

Seeing the Light of Wisdom, the previously dismissive Ancestral Dragon instantly turned serious. It granted a few degrees of validation to the Primordial Saint's claim of "pointing toward a clear path." After all, words spoken by a cultivator with such a bright Light of Wisdom definitely held reference value for it.

Seeing this, the Primordial Saint gave a slight nod.

The Ancestral Dragon's reactions remained under his control from beginning to end; he had prepared contingencies long ago. Thus, after seizing the initiative with the Light of Wisdom, he immediately struck while the iron was hot: "If Senior wishes to progress further, you can consider using the [Five Elements ] to swallow the Five Great Heavenly Destinies."

The second sentence.

This was originally the Ancestral Dragon's idea. The Primordial Saint merely learned this intelligence beforehand after the restart and repeated it to the Ancestral Dragon's face.

Yet, the effect was massive.

Because it came from the mouth of "a cultivator with exceptionally high Light of Wisdom," and perfectly aligned with the Ancestral Dragon's thoughts, it acted as tremendous validation.

This validation would solidify the Ancestral Dragon's idea of using the [Five Elements] to swallow the Five Great Heavenly Destinies. On the other hand, it would generate significant goodwill toward "the Primordial Saint who validated it," making it feel the Primordial Saint had great foresight and that great minds thought alike, thus breeding a degree of trust.

Success.

Sensing the fluctuations of the Ancestral Dragon's divine sense and observing the changes in its expression, the Primordial Saint knew he had completely grasped the psychology of this Innate Dao God.

Since that was the case, it was time to reveal his true intentions.

Immediately after, the Primordial Saint finally spoke the third sentence, which was also the most important one: "However, the [Five Elements] is ultimately just one Great Dao. Attempting to swallow the [Five Great Heavenly Destinies] is as difficult as ascending the heavens; I fear it is impossible without borrowing external force."

He said no more.

A second later, the Primordial Saint voluntarily dispersed his future body. He knew what the Ancestral Dragon would do, but there was no need to point it out. Doing so would be counterproductive.

With this beast's stupid brain, it would likely take many years of thinking on its own to consider borrowing external force. But now that I told it in advance, as long as it follows this train of thought, that future great tribulation —the one that will sweep across all realms and nearly blood sacrifice every cultivator in the light sea—will also arrive ahead of schedule.

When that time came, it would be his best opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single bound.

Deep within the Dark Void, the Primordial Saint looked at the morning light enveloping him, his eyes dark. This was the original version of [Paramita ] forged by Sisui.

It possessed no function to elevate one's stature.

The only use for this primordial [Paramita] was to observe the light sea from a higher dimension. One could say only the perspective ascended, while the person remained below.

To change this, he still needed a talent.

A talent unique across the entire light sea. Only by refining that talent and using it as a foundation stone could he truly stand at the peak.

The Ancestral Dragon...

Thinking of this, a flash of fervor crossed the Primordial Saint's eyes.

As for the great tribulation this would trigger, he paid it no mind. At best, they were just a bunch of consumables; reap one batch, and a new one would grow.

Everything was for the sake of progressing further.

Throwing this world into chaos, I shall ascend to Paramita...

Outside of [Myself], everything is illusion.

All things are false; only I am true!

"How is this guy so evil?!"

Outside of history, Sisui watched the conversation between the Primordial Saint and the Ancestral Dragon. Thinking of the consequences it triggered, he finally couldn't hold back and cursed in a low voice.

Inside Zixiao Palace, Lu Yang also sighed. "Evil as he is, the results are excellent."

"After this, the Ancestral Dragon went to find you, Senior, right?"

Hearing this, Sisui replied softly, "...Yes."

"At the time, I thought that since the Ancestral Dragon, an Innate Dao God, actually came to seek my guidance, it demonstrated a desire to learn. Therefore, I held nothing back and taught it everything I knew."

"During that time, it also asked me about the possibility of the [Five Elements] swallowing the Five Great Heavenly Destinies. After deducing it for it, I explicitly stated that this path was a dead end. I was able to swallow [Yin-Yang] because the Dharma Body Dao naturally occupied one side of [Yin-Yang]. A connection existed, allowing me to leverage its force."

"But the [Five Elements] and the Five Great Heavenly Destinies have absolutely no connection."

"I told it plainly back then—unless the [Five Elements] could individually correspond to the concepts of the Five Great Heavenly Destinies, the act of swallowing them was absolutely impossible."

"The Ancestral Dragon also felt it made perfect sense."

Speaking to the end, Sisui couldn't help but rub his forehead. "I thought that after my explanation, the Ancestral Dragon understood the logic and would give up on that impractical idea."

"I didn't expect..."

Lu Yang knew exactly what he was going to say without him finishing the sentence: "You didn't expect the Ancestral Dragon to be so stubborn, nor did you expect it to actually find a method."

Lu Yang's expression grew increasingly strange. "From this perspective, the Ancestral Dragon actually had no clue on how to use the [Five Elements] to swallow the Five Great Heavenly Destinies at the start. But Senior, by holding nothing back, you not only helped it clear its thoughts but also pointed out the biggest problem in its reasoning..."

Hearing this, Sisui looked thoroughly exasperated.

Although Lu Yang's tone was tactful, to Sisui's ears, it was just short of grabbing him by the collar and asking if he had actively thrown the game.

He had to admit it.

Although the Primordial Saint was the chief culprit behind the destruction of antiquity, his own conduct acted as the fuse for the entire ordeal to some extent.

Because he was kind.

Moreover, the Primordial Saint's image back then was far too perfect, completely devoid of flaws. With a scheming mind targeting an unguarded one, Sisui getting duped was inevitable.

"No wonder Senior cried out with such grief and indignation back when the Primordial Saint replaced history and suppressed you to death. I believe Senior's emotions were incredibly intense at the time. That cry echoed for countless years within the World Realm formed by Senior's corpse, eventually even developing sentience..."

Sisui felt even more helpless.

How could he not be aggrieved? Right before he was suppressed, he finally pieced together the reasons behind everything. The feeling of being plotted against until death was truly awful.

Especially since—he was indeed at fault.

Reviewing it after the fact, Sisui himself was one of the reasons for antiquity's downfall. At every critical juncture, he made the absolute worst choice.

If he had suspected the Primordial Saint back then.

If he had held back his teachings from the Ancestral Dragon back then.

If he hadn't forged the primordial Paramita.

If he had discovered the Primordial Saint's conspiracy earlier.

If... If... If...

Far too many irredeemable "ifs" brewed into the most potent emotions the moment he was suppressed. It became the most unforgettable memory of his life.

"...I am by no means a flawless person."

After a long while, Sisui finally broke free from his memories and let out a long sigh. "I made many mistakes. Some mistakes can be remedied, while others cannot..."

Before his voice faded, Lu Yang interrupted him.

"You are wrong, Senior."

He picked up his teacup, flipped his wrist, and the tea within transformed into billions of light streams. They poured out entirely, diving into the historical fragments below.

"There is no mistake that cannot be remedied, and there is nothing that cannot be changed."

Lu Yang's voice gradually grew grand, echoing through Zixiao Palace and the light sea. From the source of all history, he solemnly declared to the torrent of the Mortal World : "This is precisely the meaning of [Deity Transformation ]."

[Profound Nexus Governing Change Dao Venerable].

The light streams cascading into the historical fragments swiftly merged into one specific spot. The scene revealed there was exactly the Ancestral Dragon preparing for the blood sacrifice.

In the original history, no one discovered the Ancestral Dragon's blood sacrifice. So by the time Sisui realized something was wrong, the Ancestral Dragon had already completed a massive purge of the light sea's cultivators. A vast number of cultivators nurtured by Sisui—the very foundation of antiquity—perished in the blood sacrifice.

Because, like Sisui, they harbored the world in their hearts.

Therefore, when facing the blood sacrifice, they were the most resolute group, firmly standing on the front lines. Thus, they were also the group that suffered the most casualties.

At that time, the [Netherworld] was not yet established.

Dao Tianqi only possessed a single [Ghost Gate]; he could save far too few cultivators.

Instead, it was the cultivators unwilling to care for the masses who survived this great tribulation, either because they ran fast or simply used the people as human shields.

This was exactly what the Primordial Saint wanted.

After all, only if all the cultivators supporting Sisui died off and the opponents survived, would this golden age of the Immortal Dao, built single-handedly by Sisui, reveal a flaw.

Only when the sun sets behind the western hills can shadows grow unbridled.

In the original history, not only did the Primordial Saint achieve all his goals through the Ancestral Dragon's hands, but he also completely established [Paramita], becoming the ultimate victor.

"This was the turning point of antiquity."

"The Ancestral Dragon blood sacrificed sentient beings and waged a great war against the Dao Lords."

Following this war, the era of antiquity went from prosperity to decline. The Immortal Nexus was established on the corpse of the Ancestral Dragon, and the Primordial Saint's Five Elements Dao Fruit Seeking Golden Core method ran rampant.

And all of this was built upon the corpses of trillions of cultivators and mortals who died in that blood sacrifice.

This was a mistake Sisui could never remedy. He gave his all and suffered severe injuries, yet the only result was preventing the tribulation from spiraling into ultimate destruction.

"Let us change it."

Inside Zixiao Palace, Lu Yang chuckled lightly, speaking to Sisui in a relaxed tone. "Restarting once more, this time, we forge a better ending!"

Yes, this moment required a bit of ceremony.

He needed to shout something.

With a touch of wicked humor, while activating his profound arts, Lu Yang did not forget to roar: "The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes —!!!"