Heaven-Connecting Child's voice boomed through the utterly silent world, thunderous enough to deafen the ears. Ling Xiao's expression fell into silence for an instant.
But the next moment, he recovered.
This steadfast Daoist gave a faint smile. "Whatever the Patriarch says, it is. This junior asks for nothing else—only a Dao Path."
Heaven-Connecting Child did not answer.
Yet the mysterious light in his eyes grew ever brighter, as though a supremely majestic will truly stood behind him, speaking with Ling Xiao before him.
"Lin Xiao, do you know why I chose you back then?"
"I do not." Ling Xiao shook his head.
"You were forged by me using Danding's true spirit. This was not reincarnation, but a complete remolding. That is why Wanbao favored you so greatly."
Heaven-Connecting Child spoke calmly, revealing a great secret unknown to others. It was tantamount to telling Ling Xiao that his entire life had been under his control—even his birth. Yet Ling Xiao turned a deaf ear to it; neither his expression nor his state of mind wavered in the slightest.
Seeing this, Heaven-Connecting Child nodded faintly.
"Had you been born earlier, you might have had hope of reaching the Primordial Spirit realm."
"Furthermore, since I created the Grotto-Heaven Method, you are also the only one to achieve Complete Five Elements. Though you took a shortcut, it is already astonishing enough."
Ling Xiao's strength was comprehensive.
In the First History, he cultivated [Pine and Cypress Wood]. Then, taking advantage of the World Honored One attaining the Dao, he switched to cultivating [Great Forest Wood], before using [Quzhi] to reverse the Yin-Yang of Chen Earth.
In the end, he used this to take sole control of the five Fruit Positions and break through to Late Golden Core.
It sounded simple enough, even as though he