Severing His Dao Fruit, Hongyun's Remnant Soul

Within the merit, a figure emerged alongside a cry.

It was Pingxin. Now that she had lost her physical body, she appeared in another form.

Following the light of merit, Pingxin descended once more beside Chen Yang. "Without me by your side from now on, be careful in all things... Also, there is no need to suppress your cultivation. Break through when you should. Look at how painfully you have been holding yourself back. Let me give you a hand..."

As Pingxin spoke, she tapped Chen Yang's forehead with a fingertip, pouring in endless insights into the Great Path of Reincarnation.

At that moment, Chen Yang's Primordial Spirit spun, rapidly forming a Reincarnation Formation Array.

The interwoven Reincarnation Formation Array caused Chen Yang's Primordial Spirit to rise swiftly, inscribing the Reincarnation Formation.

In the end, Reincarnation Formation Arrays formed within Chen Yang's Primordial Spirit, linking together and tempering his soul.

Chen Yang sensed the transformation in his Primordial Spirit, and his aura rose sharply as well, entering the realm of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal in an instant.

Not only that, one of the Three Cauldrons of Heaven, Earth, and Man—the Heaven Cauldron—appeared within his body, blooming with one of the Three Flowers, the Divine Flower.

At the same time, a special Dao Fruit condensed. It was the Great Luo Dao Fruit.

Chen Yang felt the changes in his cultivation. "You know that isn't what I want."

"Someday, you and I will meet again. From meeting you among the Human Clan to relying on your wisdom to comprehend reincarnation, we walked step by step to this day. I felt a kind of emotion beyond that of brothers and sisters. When I entered the Primordial Unity Realm, I too thought of changing things. But fate drove me onward, and I could only follow you through the final stretch of the road. Chen Yang... having you in these last moments was wonderful..." Pingxin murmured, her figure gradually fading away.

Chen Yang knew perfectly well that this was Pingxin's aura, bound by reincarnation. From this day onward, the Land of Reincarnation would be Pingxin's prison, a prison from which she could not escape.

Chen Yang's expression changed. Sorrow and rage burned in his heart like blazing fire.

Chen Yang threw back his head and roared at the sky, venting the unwillingness and hatred within him as tears slid from the corners of his eyes.

From memories of the future, Chen Yang had long foreseen this day.

Yet after accompanying Pingxin for a million years, through those long ages, Chen Yang had come to regard her as one of his own.

[You have received Pingxin's gift and comprehended the complete laws of the Great Path of Reincarnation.]

"Today, I shall transform myself into reincarnation!"

Using the Buddhist Sect's method of refining relics, Chen Yang incorporated faith and tempered his Dao Fruit, forming a Lesser Reincarnation.

As the refined Dao Fruit took shape, Chen Yang severed it. "Sever for me..."

In that instant, he severed the connection between his mind and his Dao Fruit. Chen Yang coughed up blood wildly, spilling it across the land of the Blood Sea.

Yet even so, a trace of a smile appeared on Chen Yang's face as he sent the bloodstained Dao Fruit along the light of merit into the Land of Reincarnation. "Pingxin... you transformed your body into reincarnation, while I used my own origin Dao Fruit to refine reincarnation. You and I will never truly be apart..."

As he spoke, Chen Yang sent the Lesser Reincarnation refined from his own Dao Fruit into the Reincarnation Divine Wheel.

At that moment, Pingxin within the merit received Chen Yang's Dao Fruit. Her expression held pitiful tenderness, smiling tears in her eyes. "Why must you put yourself through this..."

But Chen Yang gave no answer in the end. He merely watched quietly.

Reincarnation was formed, and merit descended.

An ethereal voice came from nowhere.

"Reincarnation has evolved. There shall be the Upper Three Paths: the Path of Heaven, the Path of Man, and the Path of Asura. There shall be the Lower Three Paths: the Path of Beasts, the Path of Hungry Ghosts, and the Path of Hell. All living beings shall be guided here to reincarnate."

The ethereal voice echoed.

At that moment, countless souls surged into the land of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

Souls reincarnated, merging into the Great Path of the Primordial World in an endless cycle.

Now, many turned their gazes toward reincarnation and toward the vast sea of merit.

Eighty percent of the boundless merit entered Pingxin's true spirit. With merit aiding her, Pingxin's true spirit rose in power. Her cultivation climbed rapidly, finally rushing into the Primordial Unity Realm.

It was a Primordial Unity Realm nurtured by merit. Reincarnation intertwined, and the heavens celebrated. It felt no different from the saints proving their Dao—the very heavens and earth rejoiced.

Seeing this scene, many great powers were left dumbstruck.

"Hiss! Houtu relied on her true spirit and merit to attain the Primordial Unity Realm."

"Unbelievable... Houtu first attained the Primordial Unity Realm through her physical body, and now her true spirit has transformed into a Primordial Spirit, achieving the Primordial Unity Realm once more."

"Too terrifying. That is equivalent to proving the Dao twice!"

As everyone pondered, rosy clouds filled the sky, thousands of auspicious rays streamed down, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth.

Pingxin's attainment of the Primordial Unity Realm shocked countless people, yet it also drew celebration.

At the same time, half of the merit entered Minghe.

The remaining fifteen percent entered Chen Yang.

This scene changed Minghe's expression as he stared at Chen Yang.

Though Chen Yang was consumed by grief, he showed no courtesy as he looked back at Minghe. Whoever it was among the great powers of the Primordial World, if they provoked Chen Yang, he would activate his killing formation and fight them to the bitter end.

Minghe remained silent and had no wish to argue over who had received more or less merit.

After absorbing the merit, Minghe turned and departed.

Those watching this place gradually withdrew their gazes as well.

After all, now that reincarnation had evolved, the matter had become an established fact.

Everyone withdrew their attention, while Chen Yang remained where he was, gazing at reincarnation for a long time, unwilling to leave.

On Golden Ao Island.

Duobao was being watched by many pairs of eyes.

Duobao's expression was faintly strange. In the end, he said blankly, "Don't ask me. I don't know. I have no idea..."

"Senior Brother Duobao... Junior Nephew Chen Yang ruthlessly severed his own Dao Fruit, merged it into the Reincarnation Formation Array, refined a Lesser Reincarnation, and sent it into reincarnation to accompany Pingxin. With a relationship like that, you actually say you do not know?" Golden-Spirit Holy Mother sighed.

"Chen Yang and Houtu were a fine pair, yet they were forced apart like this. Still, that final scene was deeply moving." Turtle-Spirit Holy Mother sighed as well.

"Our Junior Nephew Chen Yang is truly remarkable. To think he had such a relationship with Houtu—our Jie Sect..." Wudang Holy Mother said.

The others smiled as well.

Demon Court.

Donghuang Taiyi wore golden divine robes and a high crown, his long hair falling loose. "Big Brother... Houtu has evolved reincarnation. This move has completely curbed the future of the Demon Race."

"Among the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the Lower Three Paths—the Path of Beasts, the Path of Hungry Ghosts, and the Path of Hell—were clearly prepared for our Demon Race. After members of the Demon Race fall, they will be controlled and reincarnated into the Lower Three Paths. As time passes, our Demon Race will completely decline, and powerful experts will become difficult to produce."

"The Six Paths of Reincarnation have already evolved. We have no way to change them." Dijun spoke steadily.

"Houtu is rather interesting. She found herself a little lover. Perhaps he will become a breakthrough point for reincarnation..." Taiyi pondered slightly.

"He is a disciple of the Jie Sect, possesses the Slaying Immortals Sword Formation, and serves as the representative of the Three Teachings. Touching him is equivalent to striking at the foundations of the Three Teachings." Dijun said.

"The Three Teachings. With our current strength and the Zhou Tian Star Array, why should we fear the Three Pure Ones?" Taiyi said arrogantly.

"What I fear is not the Three Pure Ones, but Hongjun behind them and the great tide of the Primordial World." Dijun said gravely.

"Even so... now that Houtu has evolved reincarnation, the twelve Ancestor Shamans are short one member, and the Heavenly Capital Divine Baleful Formation can no longer be evolved. In that case, the outcome of the Wu-Demon War will change as well." Taiyi said.

"Change? I believe the overall situation will remain difficult to alter. At most, when the Demon Race declines, we may preserve a little more vitality. The Wu Tribe, on the other hand, has already found itself a foundation." Dijun said silently.

Hearing this, Taiyi's gaze turned even colder.

Tens of thousands of years later.

Chen Yang prepared to leave the Land of Reincarnation.

"I will definitely return."

With those words, Chen Yang turned and left.

He walked out of the Blood Sea, away from this place of heartbreak.

But just as he departed, Chen Yang sensed an inexplicable summons.

In the end, Chen Yang arrived at a place along the edge of the Blood Sea.

A streak of light flew toward him.

Chen Yang's expression shifted slightly. Looking at the object in his arms, he could not help drawing a sharp breath. "Hiss... the Nine-Nine Soul-Shattering Gourd..."

Chen Yang stared at the sudden gourd, shock appearing on his face.

Chen Yang knew better than anyone what the Nine-Nine Soul-Shattering Gourd was. It was Hongyun's treasure and one of his few signature artifacts.

Back at Five Villages Temple, Chen Yang had seen this gourd and was very familiar with it.

After Hongyun had been killed, the Nine-Nine Soul-Shattering Gourd had vanished. Who would have thought it had fallen here?

Chen Yang stared at the gourd and observed the changes within it. "Senior Hongyun..."

Faint cries came from within the gourd. Hongyun's voice did not emerge; only a trace of yearning was conveyed.

Chen Yang pondered briefly, then without hesitation took out a great deal of resources and placed them into the gourd.

The Nine-Nine Soul-Shattering Gourd devoured the energy and gradually revived. "Young Master Chen Yang, it has been a long time..."

"Hiss... You are the gourd's artifact spirit? You were not destroyed?" Chen Yang could not help but ask in surprise.

"That is right. Before Master died, he used a spatial escape technique to send me away. That was why I did not perish alongside him," the gourd artifact spirit said.

Chen Yang's expression became contemplative. "What about Senior Hongyun? Did he truly perish? Was nothing left behind?"

"Alas... Master faced the pursuit of Dijun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng. He simply could not contend against them and was ultimately killed. Even his origin was destroyed. Only a wisp of origin was gathered by me. But even that wisp is faintly dispersing. I paid an immeasurable price to protect it, yet I have only barely maintained it," the gourd artifact spirit said solemnly.

"No matter, no matter... If there is only a wisp of origin left, that means Senior Hongyun still has a chance to revive." Chen Yang asked doubtfully.

"Young Master Chen Yang... I beg you, send me to Five Villages Temple. I can only keep Master's origin from dispersing. To restore it, Lord Zhenyuanzi will have a way."

The gourd artifact spirit pleaded pitifully.

Chen Yang did not refuse. "Very well. I will deliver you into Senior Zhenyuanzi's hands. No matter what, Senior Hongyun once gave me guidance. I will certainly save him."

Repaying kindness was also one of Chen Yang's principles.

Hongyun had shown him kindness, so Chen Yang had to offer his aid.

Without further hesitation, Chen Yang used numerous resources to restore the weakened gourd artifact spirit, then headed for Longevity Mountain.