However, he accepted the precious gourd and Nine-Turn Golden Elixir Tongtian had sent without hesitation.
Because they were both gestures of concern from his second brother and master!
Lu Chen returned to his cave abode.
Since he had already assumed human form, simply digging a hole to serve as a cave abode seemed somewhat inappropriate. Thus, he now had a cave abode of his own. Tongtian had personally carved it out and personally arranged several defensive grand formations, along with an isolation formation. Lu Chen himself had requested that isolation formation, and Tongtian had not asked why, simply setting it up for him. Lu Chen's cave abode was right 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 on a bed of dark jade and muttered to himself.
Several hundred thousand years had passed since Lu Chen was injured.
During that time, quite a few major events had occurred. The most famous was the first alliance between the Witch-Demon Tribes, who slew Dongwang Gong, the leader of the male immortals personally appointed by Hongjun, and destroyed the Immortal Court he had established along with him.
From then on, of the three great powers in the Primordial World, only the Witch-Demon Tribes remained.
Without Dongwang Gong, the conflict between the witches and demons grew ever more intense.
The Demon Race had always been at a disadvantage.
There was also the matter of Tongtian proving his Dao through the sword and advancing to become a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, becoming the only great mighty figure to take the path of proving the Dao through laws.
The Sword Dao emphasized slaughter, and Primordial Origin Golden Immortals were inherently far stronger than Quasi-Saints who had severed their corpses.
Thus, even though Tongtian had only just broken through, his combat power did not lose out to that of a Veteran Quasi-Saint. He earned the title Sword Saint Tongtian.
Lu Chen had also been quite astonished when he learned this after awakening.
Tongtian taking the path of proving the Dao through laws could be said to have deviated from the predetermined track.
He wondered whether the Jie Sect of Myriad Immortals Paying Homage would still appear in the future.
After all, the Three Pure Ones' original path had been to establish their teachings, draw forth the World-Opening Merit hidden deep within their Primordial Spirits, and attain sainthood through Merit.
But if the Dao of Three Corpses had not proven impassable and unable to lead to sainthood, and if there had not been Nuwa's influence in attaining sainthood through creating humanity, or some other method of proving the Dao—
They would never have chosen to attain sainthood through Merit.
Because Hongjun had said that attaining sainthood through Merit was the weakest path.
But now, Yuanshi and Laozi's paths had not changed. They had already severed two corpses, and even if they wished to alter course, they no longer had the chance.
Yet Tongtian's path had changed. He had opened up the path of proving the Dao through laws.
Although it was merely the first step, it truly proved the possibility of proving the Dao through laws.
"Forget it. Thinking too much about the Jie Sect is useless to me. Walking the road beneath my feet well is what matters most."
With that thought, Lu Chen brought forth the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase and concealed the Heavenly Secrets. Once these preparations were complete, the pallor on his face gradually turned rosy. There was not the slightest trace of weakness left.
Lu Chen sent his Primordial Spirit into his divine palace. There bloomed a black lotus platform that radiated an unfathomable aura.
It had twelve petals in total, each petal representing one grade, for a full twelve grades.
This was the Dao Fruit Lu Chen had condensed upon breaking through to Great Luo.
If it were exposed, it would surely shock the entire Primordial World.
Because a ninth-grade Great Luo Dao Fruit was already the utmost limit that the great mighty figures knew could be attained. As for the higher twelfth grade, in their eyes, it was simply not something human power could achieve. Only the great god Pangu had ever condensed one.
If word of his twelfth-grade Dao Fruit got out, he would instantly become the center of attention.
Since he could form a twelfth-grade Dao Fruit, he would never wrong himself by settling for a ninth-grade Dao Fruit.
That was why there had been that grand act of heavenly tribulation shattering his Dao Fruit.
Originally, there would have been a flaw in the final tribulation bolt. He definitely could not have blocked it with his own strength, and the only way to break that tribulation was to draw it into the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase. Yet once he used the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase, Laozi and Yuanshi would inevitably notice. But Tongtian happened to break through through the Sword Dao, drawing both their attention away and giving him room to maneuver.
He had shaped himself into the cripple whose Dao Fruit had shattered in their eyes.
As for his Dao Fruit shattering, it truly had shattered. But without destruction, there could be no rebirth.
Lu Chen took a thread 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, Lu Chen's face instantly turned pale once more.
Though his face was pale, Lu Chen's eyes shone brilliantly, and he was full of vigor.
"Using this Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder, I've barely comprehended one-tenth of the Law of Thunder. I've also comprehended more than half of one-tenth of the Destruction Law."
After the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, magical power was certainly important, but what mattered even more was one's comprehension of the Dao.
Of the Great Dao.
Take Lu Chen, for instance. He had now comprehended three Great Daos.
They were Devouring, Destruction, and Thunder.
He had been formed from a portion of the Devouring Demon God's origin, so he was innately born with some comprehension of the Devouring Path and a natural affinity with the Devouring Great Dao. It was the easiest for him to comprehend.
He had currently reached one and a half tenths, making it his fastest progress.
Destruction and Thunder were comprehended from the Heaven-Sundering Divine Thunder.
Simply put, he had been struck into comprehending them.
"Will eldest brother and second brother establish teachings and attain sainthood through Merit in the future? Will my future be the same? Is the Jie Sect the teaching I establish?"
Tongtian raised a brow as he listened to Lu Chen's inner thoughts.
"It seems the flaw in Three Corpses Severance lies in the final step of attaining sainthood."
"I've already taken the path of proving the Dao through laws, so the flaw in the Dao of Three Corpses has nothing to do with me. Eldest brother and second brother have also severed two corpses, leaving no room for change. But they will both attain sainthood in the end..."
"What about me? Can this path of laws truly lead to proving the Dao?"
A trace of hesitation flashed through Tongtian's eyes, but his gaze swiftly became firm again.
"Whether it can or not, this poor Daoist will only know after trying. If Heaven seeks to bar my way, then I shall sever this Heaven!"
Tongtian's state of mind instantly became broad and heroic.
A flash of inspiration surged into his heart, and he gained a new understanding of the Sword Dao.
"Big brother, are you really going down the mountain?"
"Mm."
Lu Chen nodded, then spoke a solemn piece of nonsense.
"I want to travel down the mountain and see whether I can find some treasure capable of healing me."
"Leave the matter of finding treasures to me, big brother. I am the Duobao Rat, and I am naturally sensitive to treasures. If big brother is worried about wandering the Primordial World alone, I can ask Master to take me with him when he travels."
Duobao spoke with concern.
Lu Chen comforted him. "There's no need to trouble Master. No matter what, I'm still a Great Luo Golden Immortal. Nothing will happen to me traveling through the Primordial World.
All the Quasi-Saints in the Primordial World are fellow guests from Zixiao Palace back then. They all know I am Master'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 own Taiyi Realm strength, Duobao could not help clenching his fists.
This was an era where Quasi-Saints walked everywhere and Great Luo were less than dogs. His Taiyi Realm cultivation was even more insignificant.
"Big brother, take care of yourself."
"Don't worry. Don't you understand your big brother's personality?"
"Do I understand... I don't know whether I understand you now or not."
A bitter smile appeared on Duobao's face.
"Based on what I know of you, big brother, you have always been cautious. You would never do something so dangerous, unless..."
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