Lu Chen: Dao Fruit Shattered? I Faked It

However, he accepted the treasure gourd and Nine-Turn Golden Elixir Tongtian had sent without hesitation.

After all, they were tokens of concern from his second brother and master!

Lu Chen returned to his cave abode.

Now that he had taken human form, casually digging a pit to use as a cave abode no longer seemed appropriate. Thus, he had his own cave abode, personally carved out by Tongtian. Tongtian had also personally set up several great defensive formations, along with an isolation formation. Lu Chen himself had requested the isolation formation, and Tongtian had not asked why, simply arranging it for him. Lu Chen's cave abode was located beside the Three Pure Ones Palace.

Upon returning to his cave abode.

"The Primordial World is about to descend into chaos."

Lu Chen sat cross-legged upon a mystic jade bed and murmured to himself.

Several hundred thousand years had passed since Lu Chen had been injured.

During that time, many major events had taken place. The most famous among them was the first alliance between the Demon Race and the witches, who slew Dongwang Gong, the leader of male immortals personally appointed by Hongjun, and destroyed the Immortal Court he had established along with him.

From then on, only the Demon Race and the witches remained among the three great powers of the Primordial World.

Without Dongwang Gong, the conflict between the witches and the Demon Race intensified day by day.

The Demon Race had always been at a disadvantage.

Another matter was Tongtian proving his Dao through the sword and advancing to become a Primordial Golden Immortal, the only one among the great mighty figures to walk the path of proving Dao through laws.

The Sword Dao emphasized slaughter, and Primordial Golden Immortals were already considerably stronger than Quasi-Saints who had severed corpses.

Thus, even though Tongtian had only just broken through, his combat strength was no weaker than that of veteran Quasi-Saints. He earned himself the title of Sword Saint Tongtian.

Lu Chen had been greatly surprised upon learning this after awakening.

Tongtian's path of proving Dao through laws could be said to have strayed from the predetermined track.

He wondered whether the Jie Sect that would one day draw Myriad Immortals Paying Homage would still come into being.

After all, the Three Pure Ones' original trajectory had been to establish Dao lineages, draw forth the World-Opening Merit hidden deep within their Primordial Spirits, and achieve sainthood through merit.

But unless the Dao of Three Corpses proved impassable and incapable of leading to sainthood, or they were influenced by Nuwa attaining sainthood through creating humankind, or there existed some other method of proving Dao—

They would never choose to attain sainthood through merit.

Because Hongjun had said that merit-based sainthood was the weakest.

Now, Yuanshi's and Laozi's paths had not changed. They had already severed two corpses, so even if they wished to change course, they no longer had the chance.

But Tongtian's path had changed. He had opened up the path of proving Dao through laws.

Though it was merely the first step, it had indeed proven the possibility of proving Dao through laws.

"Forget it. Thinking too much about the Jie Sect is of no benefit to me. What matters most is walking the road beneath my feet well."

With that thought, Lu Chen brought out the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase and concealed the heavenly secrets. Once these preparations were complete, the pallor on his face gradually turned rosy. Where was there even the slightest trace of weakness left?

Lu Chen sent his Primordial Spirit into his divine palace. There bloomed a black lotus platform that exuded a profound and mysterious aura.

It had twelve petals, each petal one grade, for a total of twelve grades.

This was the Dao Fruit Lu Chen had condensed upon breaking through to Great Luo.

If it were exposed, it would surely shake the entire Primordial World.

For a nine-grade Great Luo Dao Fruit was already the limit that the great mighty figures believed could be attained. As for the higher twelve-grade Dao Fruit, they believed it was simply beyond mortal capability, something only the great god Pangu had ever condensed.

If word of his twelve-grade Dao Fruit spread, he would instantly become the center of attention.

Since he could forge a twelve-grade Dao Fruit, he would not wrong himself by settling for a nine-grade Dao Fruit.

That was why he had staged that grand spectacle of the heavenly tribulation shattering his Dao Fruit.

Originally, there would have been a flaw in the final bolt of tribulation lightning. He definitely could not have withstood it through his own strength, and the only way to break the tribulation was to absorb it into the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase. Yet the moment he used the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, Laozi and Yuanshi would inevitably notice. Fortunately, Tongtian happened to break through with the Sword Dao, drawing both their attention away and giving him room to act.

He had made himself into the cripple whose Dao Fruit had shattered in their eyes.

As for the shattered Dao Fruit, it had indeed shattered. But without destruction, there could be no rebirth.

Lu Chen withdrew a strand of Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder from the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase and guided it into his body. As the Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder entered him, his face instantly turned pale again.

Though his face was pale, Lu Chen's eyes shone brightly, full of spirit.

"By relying on this Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder, I have barely comprehended ten percent of the Law of Lightning. I have also comprehended more than five percent of the Law of Destruction."

Beyond the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, cultivation power was certainly important, but what mattered even more was one's comprehension of the Dao.

Of the Great Dao.

Like Lu Chen, he had now comprehended three Great Daos.

They were Devouring, Destruction, and Lightning.

He had taken form from a portion of the Devouring Demon God's origin, so he was born with some comprehension of the Devouring Path and possessed a natural affinity for the Great Dao of Devouring, making it the easiest for him to comprehend.

He had currently reached fifteen percent, the fastest progress among them.

He had comprehended Destruction and Lightning from the Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder.

Simply put, he had been struck into understanding them.

"Eldest Brother and Second Brother will establish sects in the future and attain sainthood through merit. Will my future be the same? Is the Jie Sect the Dao lineage I establish?"

Tongtian raised a brow as he heard Lu Chen's inner thoughts.

"It seems the flaw in Three Corpses Severance lies in the final step of attaining sainthood."

"I am now walking the path of proving Dao through laws, so the flaw in the Dao of Three Corpses has nothing to do with me. Eldest Brother and Second Brother have both severed two corpses, leaving no room to change course. Yet they will both attain sainthood..."

"What about me? Can this path of laws truly prove the Dao?"

A trace of hesitation flashed through Tongtian's eyes, but his gaze swiftly became resolute once more.

"Whether it can or not, this humble Daoist will only know after trying. If Heaven seeks to obstruct me, then I shall sever this Heaven!"

Tongtian's state of mind instantly became broad and bold.

A spark of insight poured into his heart, and he gained a new comprehension of the Sword Dao.

"Eldest Brother, are you really going down the mountain?"

"Mm."

Lu Chen nodded, then began fabricating a tale with a solemn face.

"I want to travel down the mountain and see whether I can find a treasure capable of healing me."

"Leave finding treasures to me, Eldest Brother. I am the Duobao Rat, born with a natural sensitivity to treasures. If Eldest Brother is worried about traveling through the Primordial World alone, I can ask Master to take me with him."

Duobao spoke with concern.

Lu Chen comforted him. "There is no need to trouble Master. No matter what, I am still a Great Luo Golden Immortal. Nothing will happen to me traveling through the Primordial World.

All the Quasi-Saints in the Primordial World now are visitors from Zixiao Palace. They all know I am our teacher's disciple, so nothing will happen."

"You should stay on the mountain and cultivate properly. Strive to reach Great Luo as soon as possible."

Thinking of his Taiyi Realm cultivation, Duobao could not help clenching his fists.

This was an era where Quasi-Saints walked everywhere and Great Luos were as common as dogs. With his Taiyi Realm cultivation, he was nothing but a tiny fry.

"Eldest Brother, take care."

"Rest assured. Don't you know your eldest brother's temperament?"

"Do I... I do not know whether I understand it now or not."

A bitter smile appeared on Duobao's face.

"Based on what I knew of you, Eldest Brother, you have always been cautious. You would never do something so dangerous, unless..."