Yuluo Island was a vital site for the Lingtong Race. Even though Beiqiong was a Domain Lord and an Elder, he couldn't stay long without first requesting permission to study the secret techniques and receiving the clan's approval. So he merely gave Jiang Yao an encouraging look before leaving.
"Those youngsters were willing to let you come to Yuluo Island to study, so you must be a genius the clan has high hopes for..."
The white-haired, white-bearded old man stroked his beard. "Hmm. A Planetary Level warrior who possesses a domain, awakened a new Bloodline Divine Ability, and managed to escape from a Cosmic-Level Moyun Vine by fighting for his life with that ability—yes, you certainly have what it takes.
"But don't get complacent. Though it's rare for a Planetary Level warrior to possess a domain, I've heard of it happening before. It was 800 eras ago, in the Manfeng Empire, not far from the Kasolo Empire.
"That genius was later recruited as an internal member by the Martial Department of the Virtual Universe Company's Xuanshang Universe Country, but... well, that's where his story ended.
"And Yanchen, once the most dazzling genius our clan had ever produced, wasn't particularly outstanding in terms of cultivation speed from Planetary Level to Stellar Level. Even after reaching Stellar Level and gaining a domain, the speed at which he improved his domain wasn't the fastest in Lingtong Race history.
"But when he raised his domain to the eighth level and touched the fluctuations of the Origin Law, he revealed extraordinary talent for comprehending the Origin Law of Metal, allowing him to shine in the Genius Tournament.
"As for awakening a new Bloodline Divine Ability, heh. Throughout history, not one of the geniuses of my Lingtong Race who first discovered and activated the eight supreme divine abilities became an Immortal Expert. Some of them didn't even reach World Lord."
"I've told you all this so you'll understand: some honors are just honors, with no practical meaning. I've lived for nearly a thousand eras. Though I have no hope of becoming an Immortal in this lifetime, it took me all these years to finally understand one thing."
The old man's tone was calm, but held a faint trace of regret. He gazed out over the endless ocean. "Only your affinity for and comprehension of the Origin Laws are real. Cultivation speed, the Bloodline Divine Abilities that make the Lingtong Race proud—those are all empty."
"I haven't said all this to discourage you." The old man looked down at Jiang Yao. "I want you to know that what impresses me most isn't that you possess a domain at Planetary Level or that you've awakened a new Bloodline Divine Ability. It's that you mastered the Boat of Guidance, a secret technique of the mind, in just one year!
"You have astonishing talent for cultivating secret techniques of the mind. Though talent for cultivating those techniques and comprehension of the Laws are two different things, if you can show even a tenth or a twentieth of that talent in comprehending the Laws, then your future will be boundless."
"So don't be impatient. Don't think about competing for rewards with everyone else in seventeen years, and don't keep thinking about giving back to the branch you came from." The old man's expression turned solemn. "Your task now is to focus on cultivating your domain. Once it reaches the eighth level, start comprehending the Laws.
"If you can comprehend even a trace of an Origin Law before becoming a Domain Lord, then even if you miss the Genius Tournament in three hundred years, you'll still have a chance to enter the two great secret realms through the Guluo Dojo or the Youyuan Dojo, or to be recruited by the Xuanshang Branch of the Virtual Universe Company. The Genius Tournament isn't the only path."
Jiang Yao readily agreed to the old man's advice. It was clear that this World Lord, despite his advanced age, sincerely cared about the development of his race. His guidance would be worth a fortune to any genius blessed with countless honors.
The old man nodded, then pointed to the stone walls of various sizes that stood across the island. "These aren't actually stone, nor are they metal. They're scales from an Alien Race Immortal Expert!"
Jiang Yao was startled. Scales from an Immortal Expert?
Those stone walls, some only a few meters tall and others as much as one or two kilometers high, were actually scales?
The old man seemed familiar with the reaction of clansmen visiting Yuluo Island for the first time. He smiled. "That's why, long ago, this island was called Fish Scale Island.
"That Immortal Expert must have achieved profound mastery of the Origin Law of Space. The scales contain peculiar fluctuations of the Laws that can resonate with a domain.
"So these scales can not only permanently record secret techniques, ultimate skills, and even Law Secret Patterns, but also greatly aid the cultivation of a domain.
"Scales like these can be found on Lingshen Planet, the Main Sect's homeworld, and on the capital planets of the 216 star systems belonging to the Main Sect. They're available for clansmen with domains to study. The only difference is that the scales there have no secret techniques or ultimate skills carved into them.
"Stellar-Level geniuses sent by the various branches to prepare for the Peak Battle, like you, can also study and cultivate on Lingshen Planet if they possess a domain. But since you've already come here, there's no need for you to study on Lingshen Planet."
Before the old man could finish, Bajie, inside the Taihuan Token, was already urging Jiang Yao to go examine the stone walls—or rather, the scales.
Jiang Yao walked up to a stone wall only three meters tall. It recorded a Body Amplitude Secret Technique suited to Cosmic-Level martial artists, but he paid no attention to the technique itself. Instead, he carefully examined the wall's gray-black surface.
The surface looked quite smooth, but when he touched it with his mind power, he discovered that it was covered in grooves and patterns so fine they were almost imperceptible, like a maze.
His mind power seemed to sink into a bottomless pit as it entered the maze, making Jiang Yao feel slightly dizzy. Even the previously indistinct fluctuations of the Origin Law of Space suddenly became clear.
"Good! Good!" Bajie beamed and sent Jiang Yao a mental message. "I was worried that your Lingtong Race lacked deep comprehension and suitable secret techniques for the two superior Laws of space and time. It looks like at least the Origin Law of Space won't be a problem."
Seeing Jiang Yao standing dazed before the stone wall, the old man laughed. "Stop looking, or the grooves and patterns on its surface will keep absorbing your mind power until it's drained dry. You need to comprehend one of the Origin Laws of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth to a certain degree before you can study the scale itself and possibly touch the Origin Law of Space.
"It's also thanks to these scales that our Lingtong Race has always had World Lords who comprehend the Origin Law of Space. Our numbers far exceed those of the other five Sacred Lands."
"But..." The old man changed tack. "The clan doesn't encourage Domain Lords or World Lords to study the Origin Law of Space. The path to immortality through a superior Law is far more difficult than through a lower Law. Overreaching usually ends in failure. Of course, even studying only a lower Law usually ends in failure, too."
A self-deprecating look crossed the old man's face. "So, throughout the clan's history, quite a few Domain Lords and World Lords who had given up on becoming Immortal focused on the Origin Law of Space just to gain powerful combat strength.
"But... heh. If they couldn't even become Immortal by comprehending a lower Law, or earn the recognition of an Origin Law, how much could they really achieve in the Law of Space, even with the help of these scales?"
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