Jiang Yao had truly come to understand the saying, "Following the usual steps in cultivation is just waiting to die."
Even setting aside the fact that Bizhang's will had "devoured" one of the main vines of the World Lord-level Moyun Vine, his will was still growing stronger bit by bit. The prison suppressing Bizhang's will—the Xu Yuan Space—had been opened by Jiang Yao using his own soul, so he could sense this very clearly.
To keep Bizhang's will suppressed and prevent it from possessing him, Jiang Yao had to keep getting stronger, and he couldn't afford to be slow about it.
But he still insisted that he not break through to Star Level Nine before the Peak Genius Tournament, which was more than three hundred years away. Or rather, he had better not miss the Genius Tournament unless absolutely necessary.
After all, Jiang Yao knew just how much the Human Race's two peak powers invested in cultivating Core Layer geniuses.
Given Jiang Yao's current level of Law Comprehension, breaking through to the universe level would pose no bottleneck at all. Aside from his Domain still being inadequate, reaching Domain Lord Level would also be no problem, provided he had enough Origin Energy Nutrient Solution.
But there were worlds of difference between individuals at the same level, whether at the universe level or Domain Lord Level.
And if he couldn't receive the best cultivation from those two powers, his progress would slow once he reached World Lord Level and beyond. He couldn't let the small gain cost him the greater prize.
So, with the restriction that he couldn't break through to the universe level within the next three hundred years, he would have to find other ways to grow stronger.
As for Origin Law Comprehension, as long as he kept releasing a sliver of Bizhang's will from time to time and strengthening his own will through their clashes, his body would gradually transform to become more attuned to the Origin Laws. On top of that, the Lingtong Race's Main Sect surely had secret techniques for cultivating the Origin Laws. His Law Comprehension could naturally continue improving rapidly.
The same went for his body. Jiang Yao's Gene Level was already twice that of the vast majority of the Human Race, which meant the foundation of his physical strength was also twice that of humans at the same level.
Although Jiang Yao still presented himself as a Mental Master Controller, he now had considerable talent on the warrior path as well, along with a foundation that surpassed others at his level.
Aside from strengthening his will, his Origin Law Comprehension, and his body, there were also some methods that could yield immediate results.
That was to improve the Control Chapter of Xu Yuan Opening.
Jiang Yao was currently at the first level of control. According to Bajie, if he could raise the might of his control to the second level, he would greatly ease the pressure from the Desolate God's will. That would be enough to keep Bizhang suppressed for a long time, and he might even be able to try transforming into Bizhang. If he could do that, Jiang Yao's strength would grow even faster.
But to quickly raise the might of Xu Yuan Opening's control to the second level, he needed to collect more secret techniques related to this world's Origin Laws.
With Bajie's help, he would translate those secret techniques into Yan Script, then imprint them onto the membrane walls of the Xu Yuan Space.
"The Xu Yuan Space is a marvelous existence between reality and illusion. The way to improve it quickly is simple: you don't need physical objects or visible treasures.
"You need to analyze and master the framework of this world's laws!"
Bajie's tone was serious. "You have to keep improving the Xu Yuan Space's understanding of this world's framework of laws, until it becomes a supreme, unparalleled divine ability rooted in this Source World. If you can raise the Xu Yuan Space to its utmost limit, forget controlling the wills of a few Desolate Beasts—you'll even be able to refine the false into the true!"
Jiang Yao could hardly believe it. "Refine the false into the true?"
Was it the same thing I thought it was?
Bajie wore a trace of proud satisfaction. "That's right. The ultimate form of the Xu Yuan Space is refining the false into the true. For example, if you imagine a Fifth-Order Psionic Weapon inside the Xu Yuan Space, then take it outside, it'll be a genuine Fifth-Order Psionic Weapon!
"If you create a Special Lifeform with a hundredfold Gene Multiplier inside the Xu Yuan Space and take it outside, it'll be a genuine new life!
"So the secret technique Xu Yuan Opening is rooted in the framework of the world's laws. Only when the Xu Yuan Space is fully coupled with this world's underlying framework can it achieve the power to refine the false into the true.
"Actually, this is somewhat similar to your Human Race's Virtual Universe Network."
Bajie's pig face wore a rare hint of admiration. "The Virtual Universe can actually simulate the Origin Laws of the real world. That means its creator must have mastered all Ten Great Laws of this world inside and out. Otherwise, how could it possibly simulate them?
"But if you can raise the Xu Yuan Space to its utmost limit, you won't just be able to simulate the Origin Laws of the real world like the Virtual Universe Network—you'll also be able to bring the objects and even lifeforms you create, infused with those Origin Laws, into the real world!
"That goes far beyond the Virtual Universe Network."
Bajie chuckled. "If you can fully comprehend all Ten Origin Laws of this world, translate them into Yan Script, and imprint them in the Xu Yuan Space, then you'll naturally be able to raise this divine ability to its highest level in no time."
Jiang Yao rolled his eyes. If I could fully comprehend them all, why the hell would I need to cultivate the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God?
But his understanding of Xu Yuan Opening had indeed been overturned once again. After cultivating the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God, he'd thought that it was more profound and powerful than Xu Yuan Opening. After all, it could raise his Gene Multiplier and transform his body to bring it closer to the Origin Laws. That had to be a secret technique on the level of the Nine Tribulations Secret Manual.
Now it seemed that Xu Yuan Opening was far more than just a prison built in advance to contain the Desolate God's will. This was a true supreme secret technique.
But any secret technique or art involving the Origin Laws was bound to be expensive. He would either have to seize one or pay for it, and some couldn't be bought even with money.
By that reckoning, the more than six million Universe Coins that had once seemed like a comfortable sum weren't even worth a hair.
Bajie continued, "There's more. Before your Xu Yuan Opening reaches the second level, you can't just open the door and release the bird every time you run into danger, ready to die together with your enemy, can you? Play with fire too often and you'll burn yourself.
"So you'll need a few trump cards to keep yourself alive.
"As a Desolate Beast, Bizhang naturally has its own Origin Divine Abilities. Of course, unless you transform into a Desolate Beast, you definitely won't be able to use them. But I'm fairly confident I can modify and simplify those Origin Divine Abilities into secret techniques suited to this world.
"You've already begun cultivating the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God. In truth, Bizhang is you, and you are Bizhang. So only you can cultivate and master the secret techniques derived from Bizhang's Origin Divine Abilities in this universe. That's another benefit the Nine Transformations of the Desolate God gives its cultivators!
"But if you want to master those Origin Divine Abilities, not only will they demand a strict physical foundation, you'll also need some treasures to assist you—preferably treasures containing the Origin Law of Fire or the Origin Law of Light."
Jiang Yao couldn't help feeling a chill run down his spine. Good grief, he'd only just opened an account and gotten some money, and already a mountain of financial pressure was bearing down on him.
Jiang Yao thought for a moment. "The Lingtong Race's Main Sect is a Sacred Land, so they must have secret techniques or arts involving the Origin Laws, right? I'll see if I can get the Old Patriarch to secure permission for me to study the Main Sect's secret techniques."
Because of the ambush by Yinhu Island, he had paid a terrible price when his "Bloodline Divine Ability collapsed." If Yinhu Island didn't want a war, it would probably choose to settle the matter through compensation. Jiang Yao would naturally be entitled to compensation for his losses. He wasn't interested in receiving resources to regrow his supposed Bloodline Divine Ability, but perhaps he could ask to study secret techniques instead.
As for trump cards to keep himself alive...
"I'll be staying in the Sacred Land for the next three hundred years. I should be safe here, right?" Jiang Yao stroked his chin. "There's no need to rush into cultivating Bizhang's Origin Secret Techniques, is there?"
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