Time flowed on like water, flowers bloomed and withered, and the tides rose and fell. Since Li Yi had established his residence on Penglai Island, 500,000 years had passed without him realizing it.
That day, Li Yi was comprehending the sword path as usual. Swords formed from Spiritual Qi swept back and forth behind him, while the Azure Flood Dragon lazily shifted his body, eyes half-closed as he went back to sleep.
Suddenly, a "bang" resounded across the Primordial World, as if it had come from the edge of the sky. Whether they were ferocious beasts who knew only slaughter, Demon Gods in seclusion, or flying birds and immortal beasts, everyone heard it. No matter where you were, the sound seemed to ring deep in your soul, impossible to block out.
After the sound, Immortal Music filled the world. Flowers condensed from Spiritual Qi fell from the sky, purple energy stretched across billions of feet, and countless stars glittered... One strange phenomenon after another appeared. This was destined to be a day the people of the Primordial World would remember.
Along with the various phenomena, invisible threads of rules seemed to connect the people of the Primordial World to Heaven and Earth. They also felt, for no clear reason, that their own existence had become more substantial, and that Heaven and Earth felt closer to them.
The Innate Demon Gods knew that the Heavenly Dao had finally been completed and revealed itself in the Primordial World. They were all overjoyed. Many of them, despite their extraordinary talent, had been stuck at the Golden Immortal Realm for years. Yet the road ahead had been hazy, and they had no way of knowing whether the path they sought was correct or even led anywhere. They had been utterly lost.
Even the Innate Demon Gods reincarnated from the remnant souls of Chaos Demon Gods were in the same predicament. Their souls were severely incomplete, and their former realms had all been brought about by the Great Dao Rhythms. As a result, after reincarnating, they had gained no insight into the Great Luo Realm. It was deeply frustrating.
But now that the Heavenly Dao had revealed itself, they had a reference point. They could comprehend the Heavenly Dao while seeking their own paths, using the two to illuminate each other.
Thus, nearly all the top experts in the Primordial World went into seclusion, and the world fell into an eerie calm.
"The Heavenly Dao has finally revealed itself," Li Yi murmured. "But what does that have to do with me?" With that, he continued comprehending the sword path.
After hearing the strange sound, the Azure Flood Dragon had wanted to ask what was going on. But since his master had continued meditating, he didn't dare ask.
Besides, in the Azure Flood Dragon's heart, if the sky fell, someone taller would hold it up. His master was invincible, so what was there to fear? He went back to sleep.
Another 400,000 years passed in the blink of an eye. One day, a vast pressure suddenly descended above the sacred court of the Fire Worship Sacred Dynasty in the eastern part of the Primordial World. A river of fate swept across the sky, without beginning or end, and vague figures could be seen rising and sinking within it.
A pillar of fire shot up from the sacred court's forbidden grounds, defying the heavens. Its immense heat seemed poised to burn everything in existence. The entire Fire Worship Sacred Dynasty could feel that terrifying heat. It lasted for two full hours before the pillar of fire condensed into a fiery-red Dao Fruit. In contrast to the pillar's destructive heat, the Dao Fruit gave off a gentle feeling. Profound runes flickered across it—it was truly wondrous.
"Ha, ha! I've finally attained the Great Luo Dao Fruit!" Old Ancestor Lu Ya's voice rang throughout the entire dynasty. "My people, prepare a grand banquet at the sacred court one month from now. Everyone, drink your fill!"
"Congratulations to the Old Ancestor for attaining the Great Dao!" "Congratulations to the Old Ancestor for attaining the Great Dao!"...
The Fire Worship Sacred Dynasty erupted in celebration. Their synchronized cries of congratulations spread throughout the Primordial World. After all, the stronger Old Ancestor Lu Ya became, the stronger and safer the dynasty would be.
The Golden Immortals were even more delighted. They hoped that one day they might receive Lu Ya's guidance and enter that unfathomable realm as well.
The news that Old Ancestor Lu Ya had attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Position spread throughout the Primordial World in an instant, sending shock waves through it. For a time, the Fire Worship Sacred Dynasty became the center of attention.
Many Golden Immortals joined the Fire Worship Sacred Dynasty, hoping to receive Old Ancestor Lu Ya's guidance. In a short time, the dynasty's influence surged, making it unrivaled.
Lu Ya's attainment of the Great Luo Position brought many people both joy and anxiety. They were glad that someone had finally entered the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm, but they were also worried they'd have to hurry, or they would fall behind.
As a result, many peak Golden Immortals set aside their factions and focused entirely on cultivation, hoping to attain the Dao as soon as possible.
Over the next few centuries, Qiankun Ancestor, Yin-Yang Ancestor, Old Ancestor Cang Qiong, Ancestor Tun Tian, and Beast Emperor Shen Ni, among others, successively attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Position. The Golden Immortal era had passed, and the Great Luo era had begun.
As more and more people attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Position, the already turbulent waters of the Primordial World grew even more turbulent. Those who had attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm quickly discovered the influence of the world's greater trends. Generally speaking, the more territory a faction controlled, the more spirit veins and experts it possessed, and the larger its population, the stronger its momentum—and the easier it was for it to produce Great Luo Golden Immortals.
The fact that most Great Luo Golden Immortals had emerged from the major factions over those centuries was proof enough.
For a time, the Primordial World was swept by turmoil. Factions of every size grew restless, eager to make their move.
Another 500,000 years passed amid that eerie atmosphere. All this time, Li Yi had been acclimating to the Azure Lotus Body. Now, at last, he had completed the process, fully integrating his true body with it. He had reached the half-step Golden Immortal stage, but his sword path had also hit a bottleneck.
One day, a terrifying pressure descended from the sky above Penglai Island. It was even more fearsome than when Lu Ya and the others had attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Position. The entire island stretched across 3,000 kilometers, and every living creature on it except Li Yi was pressed down so hard they didn't dare raise their heads. The seawater surrounding Penglai Island was forced down several feet.
Li Yi sat cross-legged on the island and looked toward the summit of its main peak, unable to hide his concern. Through the mysterious connection he shared with his Main Body, he knew that it was undergoing a perilous transformation.
After his Main Body had sorted out the relationship between the soul, divine sense, and will, he spent tens of thousands of years making deductions. He confirmed that combining will with the physical body was the best path to immortality, and so decided to transform all the power of his soul and divine sense into will.
After more than 100,000 years of transformation, the final step had finally arrived. Although his Main Body's extensive calculations gave the transformation a success rate of over ninety percent, Li Yi couldn't help worrying. If it failed, it might cause his entire soul to collapse.
Suddenly, the entire space within his Main Body's brain field began to crumble. Fragments of space shattered one after another like a line of dominoes, faster and faster, until the whole space collapsed in an instant. Then a vortex-like black hole appeared at the center of the brain field, drawing in every fragment of space.
Once all the fragments had entered the vortex, a brilliant point of light rose from its center. Gradually, all the light drew inward, and a crystalline sarira appeared. This was his Main Body's Will Sarira.
The invisible pressure over Penglai Island gradually faded. Only then could all the island's living creatures breathe easily again. That feeling had been truly terrifying.
When Li Yi learned that his Main Body had successfully condensed the Will Sarira, he was overjoyed. He would need to condense one himself in the future, both to stay in sync with his Main Body and because he specialized in the sword path. It would make him more focused and more powerful. Now that his Main Body had gone through the process, it would be much easier for him.
Since his Main Body had already condensed the Will Sarira and his clone had hit a bottleneck in the sword path, Li Yi decided to venture out into the Primordial World and temper his swordsmanship.
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