Every time someone used "Words Become Law," it consumed an enormous amount of mental energy.
The higher the level of the target they sought to change, and the wider the area affected, the more terrifying that consumption became.
If it exceeded what their mental energy could bear, the Divine Ability would fail.
Chen Musen had made that instant breakthrough look effortless, but he had actually consumed a fair amount of mental energy.
Even so—
The upper limit of this Divine Ability remained frighteningly high.
If he continued to deepen his understanding of it, he might well reach the level of an Origin Divine Ability.
Following Chen Qingshuang's, this was another Greater Divine Ability with the potential to evolve into an Origin Divine Ability.
"These three peerless prodigies of the Chen Family truly are geniuses of the Golden Age. Blessed with tremendous fortune, every one of them has comprehended a Greater Divine Ability with extraordinary effects."
Chen Changqing could not help marveling inwardly.
He instinctively looked into his sea of consciousness. The Dao Tree still stood tall there, its branches laden with countless Dao Fruits.
The largest and brightest was naturally his Longevity Origin Dao Fruit.
Around it shone three slightly smaller but equally dazzling fruits: the Greater Divine Ability Dao Fruits representing the abilities of Chen Yuanba, Chen Qingshuang, and Chen Musen.
Farther out, Lesser Divine Ability Dao Fruits covered the branches. They came from the Lesser Divine Abilities other Chen Family Members had comprehended; a single glance was enough for him to understand and master them completely.
Chen Changqing drew his attention back to Chen Musen on the arena platform, undisguised approval in his eyes.
"Very good!"
"Keep studying it. This Divine Ability has great potential!"
With that said,
Chen Changqing turned his gaze to the other clan members around him.
The Divine Ability Method seemed even more difficult than he had expected!
Despite being the Longevity Imperial Clan, fewer than a hundred Chen Family Members had managed to comprehend a Divine Ability.
After a moment's thought,
Chen Changqing spoke again. "The Divine Ability Method demands exceptional insight. It is not something just anyone can comprehend!"
"Those who failed to comprehend a Divine Ability today need not lose heart!"
"Keep studying it! At some unexpected moment, insight may strike, and you'll comprehend one!"
"Besides, I will personally improve all of the Chen Family's cultivation methods. Even if you cannot master a Divine Ability, your overall strength will rise substantially!"
At Chen Changqing's words,
The eyes of the Chen Family Members who had not comprehended a Divine Ability lit up with anticipation.
Their ancestor had comprehended a heaven-defying method like the Divine Ability Method. His insight was clearly beyond imagination. How much stronger might they become once he personally improved the Chen Family's cultivation methods?
"Thank you, Ancestor Changqing!"
"Thank you, Ancestor Changqing!"
The Chen Family Members bowed one after another, filled with reverence and gratitude toward Chen Changqing. They had finally accepted him as the Chen Family's Sole Divine Son.
After all, most of them lacked the insight the Divine Ability Method demanded.
The improved cultivation methods were what they truly needed right now!
Chen Changqing had mastered the Divine Ability Method, yet he was still willing to improve the Chen Family's cultivation methods for their sake. How could they not be moved?
At that moment—
No one in the Chen Family harbored any further resentment toward the "Sole Divine Son" who had monopolized their resources for a million years.
"Now that the teaching is over, let the Sequence Ranking Battle continue."
Chen Changqing nodded slightly but made no move to leave. He remained seated on the viewing platform, a faint smile on his lips.
He wanted to see what these young Chen Family talents could do in actual combat.
Perhaps their clashes would even give him insight into more Divine Abilities.
After all, the heart of comprehending the Dao lay in insight!
One observed the changes in all things under heaven and perceived the many different Daos.
At his words, the crowd erupted once more.
The Sequence Ranking Battle was the Chen Family's grand event held once every hundred years. The arrival of the two old ancestors and Chen Changqing's teaching had interrupted it. Though everyone had gained enormously, their competitive fire had never cooled.
And now—
Their ancestor himself had ordered the battle to continue. More importantly, he had stayed to watch.
What did that mean?
If they performed well enough, their ancestor might remember them—perhaps even offer them personal guidance!
And so,
Every young clan member in the competition felt their blood surge. They flexed their hands, eager to begin.
The Sequence Ranking Battle resumed.
Across Purple Sun Peak,
Spells, combat techniques, and Divine Abilities intertwined. Spiritual light surged skyward, and cheers shook the heavens.
Even the young clan members who had failed to comprehend a Divine Ability fought fiercely, bringing out everything they had.
Seated on the high platform, Chen Changqing calmly swept his gaze across the arenas.
With his formidable powers of comprehension and perception, he could observe any clan member's cultivation method or combat technique and comprehend a Lesser Divine Ability from it within a few breaths.
They were only Lesser Divine Abilities, limited in power, but they still broadened his understanding of the Divine Ability Method.
After several attempts,
Chen Changqing gradually understood that comprehending a Divine Ability depended not only on one's insight, but also on the subject one studied.
Beyond that—
It required a spark of opportunity.
He himself, for instance, had observed the Divine Abilities of Chen Musen and the other two and comprehended corresponding Greater Divine Abilities, even making their effects somewhat stronger.
But he was still a step short of an Origin Divine Ability.
It had nothing to do with his insight. He simply lacked that spark.
An Origin Divine Ability could not be forced. Comprehending the Longevity Origin Divine Ability the moment he awoke had already been an immense stroke of fortune.
"Of course, perhaps my insight just isn't high enough yet!"
Chen Changqing smiled to himself. Once his insight had accumulated a while longer, perhaps comprehending an Origin Divine Ability would become easy.
The Sequence Ranking Battle continued.
As time passed, the fights in the arenas grew fiercer.
Unsurprisingly, the talents who had comprehended Divine Abilities stood far ahead in combat strength and easily claimed the top ranks.
But what truly stunned everyone were the battles involving Chen Yuanba, Chen Musen, and Chen Qingshuang.
The moment any of those three peerless prodigies stepped into an arena, even the ranked talents who had comprehended Lesser Divine Abilities gave up on challenging them.
What kind of joke was that? Facing a Greater Divine Ability was asking for a beating!
The clashes among the three were the true centerpiece of this Sequence Ranking Battle.
Against Chen Qingshuang, Chen Yuanba immediately used Ancestor Blesses Me.
A thousand-zhang phantom rose from the ground. With one punch, it shattered hundreds of sword-intent barriers Chen Qingshuang had set up and drove her back a thousand zhang.
Chen Qingshuang could command Myriad Swords Pay Homage, but Ancestor Blesses Me had summoned a projection bearing Chen Changqing's Dao resonance. Its eyes swept across the battlefield, and every sword in the sky faltered for a moment.
In that brief hesitation, Chen Yuanba's fist stopped three inches from Chen Qingshuang's brow.
Chen Qingshuang lowered her sword. A complicated emotion flickered through her cool eyes, but in the end, she calmly cupped her hands and conceded.
Her Sword, Come! Divine Ability was powerful, but Chen Yuanba was no sword cultivator. And against a projection bearing their ancestor's Dao resonance, she still fell a little short.
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