Two hundred years had passed since the Azure Flood Dragon acknowledged Li Yi as its master, and it had truly broadened its horizons. Along the way, it had witnessed Li Yi slaughter tens of millions of ferocious beasts—many of them even at the Mystic Immortal realm. Even the Golden Carp Clan's elders were only Mystic Immortals.
What had shocked the Azure Flood Dragon most was when Li Yi had killed a Golden Immortal with a wave of his hand fifty years ago. The sight had left the dragon dazed for over a month. With a wave, Li Yi had conjured a gigantic hand out of thin air, wide enough to blot out the sky and glittering with golden light. It had closed around the Golden Immortal, reducing him to dust in an instant.
"Awesome! Absolutely awesome!" The Azure Flood Dragon had been so excited it had nearly cramped up. With a master like this, who in the Primordial World would dare bully it? It had almost wanted to carry Li Yi to the Dragon Palace and show off, but that was only a passing thought.
The Azure Flood Dragon had also realized that Li Yi wasn't a Golden Immortal. No Golden Immortal could be that powerful. It had no idea what realm Li Yi was actually in. The Primordial World had only existed for a million years, and apart from Li Yi, only Hongjun and Yang Mei had attained the Great Luo Dao Fruit. They rarely showed themselves, so the highest realm publicly known in the Primordial World was currently the Golden Immortal Merit Position.
After the Azure Flood Dragon began following Li Yi, it started cultivating the art Li Yi had specially created for it: the Green Flood Dragon Emperor Body Art. The art had six layers. Unlike the Dragon Clan's techniques, which focused on purifying one's bloodline, the Green Flood Dragon Emperor Body Art used the flood dragon's body as its foundation and gradually drew in Water Essence to forge a Kwai Water root.
The first three layers were for the Heavenly Immortal realm and the next three for the Mystic Immortal realm. Once it reached the sixth layer, the flood dragon's entire body would become a Kwai Water body. When the right opportunity came, it would understand itself and use the power of Kwai Water to cleanse its soul, allowing it to attain the Golden Immortal Merit Position.
The Azure Flood Dragon had now reached the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm, the third layer. Water energy swirled around its whole body, and at the slightest movement, all the waters answered its call. It was incomparably stronger than before.
One day, the Azure Flood Dragon was carrying Li Yi through the sky as usual when a voice called, "Stop!" It didn't dare delay and immediately came to a halt.
"I finally found it. This must be Penglai Immortal Island." A glimmer of excitement crossed Li Yi's face as he gazed at the hazy expanse. Anyone who had searched for hundreds of years would have grown a little frustrated.
Li Yi flew toward the mist. For the first time in hundreds of years, the Main Body's soul took control of the body. In an instant, he seemed like a different person, his cold Silver Eyes fixed on Penglai Immortal Island.
(A note for the future: the perfectly rational persona is called the Main Body, while the other persona is called Li Yi.) A complex formation gradually appeared before the Main Body. These Silver Eyes were a special divine ability he had gained after his soul split. When the Main Body controlled the body, his eyes turned silver. By using spiritual power, he could see through illusions to a certain extent and perceive the truth.
The Main Body casually waved his hands a few times, sending a surge of powerful Magic Power across several nodes in the formation. Penglai Island appeared before them. His eyes slowly returned to black, as the Main Body had begun comprehending the laws, leaving Li Yi in control of the body.
When the Main Body appeared, the Azure Flood Dragon had felt a chill run through it, especially at the sight of those eyes. They were cold and merciless, making the Main Body seem like a lofty deity, looking down on all living beings with indifference.
Now, seeing Li Yi return, it asked curiously, "Master, what happened to you just now? You looked terrifying."
Li Yi smiled. "You'll understand someday." He offered no further explanation and flew straight toward the center of Penglai Island.
The Azure Flood Dragon was curious, but figured Li Yi must have his reasons for keeping quiet. It didn't ask again and followed him to the island.
Penglai Island truly lived up to its reputation as the greatest of the Three Immortal Islands and the cultivation sanctuary of the Overseas Loose Immortals in later generations. Immortal energy enveloped the island, and oddly shaped stones were scattered everywhere. Its central peak towered tens of thousands of zhang high and stretched across three thousand kilometers. Giant trees rose into the sky, blocking out the sun, while several rivers wound across the island.
What delighted Li Yi most was the sheer abundance of spiritual treasures. There was a ginseng root that was over a million years old, seven-leaf silver flowers, blossomless soul-nourishing fruits, curved-stem purple sunflowers... There were even many spiritual beings that had taken human form, playing on the ground, such as the ginseng doll and the Lotus Root Sapling.
In Li Yi's eyes, Penglai Immortal Island was a treasure trove, no less valuable than the Blessed Lands of Kunlun and Emei. But from this day on, they would all bear the Li name.
Li Yi flew toward the center of the island in high spirits, never expecting an even greater surprise to await him. From afar, he spotted a Twelve-Petal Azure Lotus standing tall in a small lake, solitary and elegant.
How could this not be a Twelve-Petal Azure Lotus? It was a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure—no wonder Li Yi was delighted. During the Calamity of World Creation, the Thirty-Six-Petal Chaos Green Lotus had shattered, and its petals had transformed into four top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures: the World-Destroying Black Lotus, the Purifying White Lotus, and the Karma Fire Red Lotus among them.
What pleased Li Yi most was that the Azure Lotus's roots, stem, and leaves were all intact, and it brimmed with vitality. It was truly the perfect vessel for his other self.
"Ha! Ha! That takes care of finding a vessel for my other self, too." Li Yi had wanted to find a vessel for a long time. The reason he had traveled so slowly to the East Sea, stopping along the way, was partly because he was looking for a suitable vessel. Although his other self wouldn't make the body its master, a body with too little potential would still hinder its future development. But he had yet to find an ideal vessel, so he had kept putting it off.
He hadn't expected to find such an ideal vessel here. Those hundreds of years in the East Sea had been worth it—more than worth it. Still, Li Yi didn't immediately take possession of the Azure Lotus. Some things needed careful consideration, and he also had to build a residence. He didn't want to spend his days cultivating and comprehending the Dao in a doghouse.
Hovering in the air, Li Yi waved his hands again and again, forming one Hand Seal after another. "Rumble!" The earth and stones flew through the air as a spiritual flame appeared out of nowhere, refining and combining the essence of various rocks and materials Li Yi had collected from the Primordial Continent.
Before long, a complex of imposing ancient palaces appeared on Penglai Island: one main hall and four side halls. The main hall bore the name Green Lotus Hall, evidently prepared for his other self. The other four remained unnamed for now.
"Azure Flood Dragon, cultivate diligently on the island. Your master is going into seclusion for a while," Li Yi said to the dragon beside him.
"Yes, Master." The Azure Flood Dragon was a little puzzled about why its master wanted to go into seclusion so soon after arriving on the island, but it didn't ask.
Li Yi's main reason for entering seclusion was to calmly consider how to divide responsibilities between the Main Body and his other self. This would affect his future path to the Dao, so he had to take it seriously.
"My current situation is this: I've attained the Great Luo Merit Position. Apart from the Azure Lotus, my Innate Spiritual Treasures are the Green Lotus Ancient Sword, Void Battle Armor, Black Demon Cauldron, and various materials. My divine abilities are Nirvana Samsara, the Nine-Colored Pagoda, and Silver Eyes." Most of these were advantages, Li Yi thought.
"But there's one major drawback: I attained the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm too early, so I lack experience. I'm not even sure of the Dao in my heart. It's merely a product catalyzed by the Great Dao Rhythms. I understand what happens, but not why. This will absolutely affect my future path to the Dao." Li Yi didn't shy away from acknowledging his flaws.
"What suits me best is what's best for me." As Li Yi analyzed his strengths and weaknesses, he searched for the path that suited him. "My strength lies in my body, which already has the potential to reach immortality. I also have the innate divine ability Nirvana Samsara. Since my body is powerful, I chose the path of an indestructible body. Then I should shape my laws around my innate divine ability. Yes—that's it." At last, Li Yi found his direction. His mind cleared, and he even advanced slightly in his realm.
After another ten years of deliberation, Li Yi finally settled on how to divide their roles:
The Main Body would focus on strengthening the Demon Body and comprehending the laws. His other self would devote itself to the way of the sword: using the sword to break through Nirvana, using the sword to manifest Samsara, and entering the Dao through the sword.
He had only been in seclusion for fifty years this time, but it had been a crucial step.
From far away, the Azure Flood Dragon heard the palace gates open and knew its master had emerged from seclusion. With a roar, it flew over to greet him.
"Heh." Li Yi patted the Azure Flood Dragon. "Come on, let's go to the lotus pond."
Li Yi gazed at the Twelve-Petal Azure Lotus, his eyes narrowing. The soul of his other self flew out of his right eye and entered the Azure Lotus in an instant. The lotus swayed and transformed into a second Li Yi. His other self had been born.
As soon as the soul of his other self left the body, the Main Body's eyes turned silver, and his hair instantly turned snow-white.
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