When the golden light of Merit descended, all of Abyss fell silent.
That wisp of Merit was not immense.
Compared to great Merits such as Opening-Heaven Merit, Clan-Creation Merit, and Heaven-Mending Merit, it could only be considered an exceedingly thin strand.
Yet when it descended above the Three Lives Gate, it shook the hearts and minds of every living being in Abyss.
Because this meant that Abyss's act of establishing the Three Lives Gate to shelter the young and weak, as well as those seeking to escape the Great Tribulation, had earned a trace of recognition from the laws of heaven and earth.
In the Primordial World, Merit was exceedingly difficult to obtain.
Killing was easy.
Competing was easy.
Yet establishing a path that allowed living beings to survive was far harder.
The Three Lives Gate illuminated causality, tested the nature of one's mind, and severed the Killing Tribulation.
It did not accept powerful contenders for supremacy. It accepted only those willing to evade the tribulation, obey the rules, and whose karmic burden of slaughter remained bearable.
This path had not changed the overall course of the countless tribulations.
But it had indeed left countless innocent beings swept into the Great Tribulation with a sliver of hope for survival.
Thus, heaven and earth bestowed a wisp of Merit.
The Three Lives Gate bathed in golden light.
Its black-and-white causality patterns became even clearer.
The gray water mirror of the Gate of Testing Nature of Mind gained a ring of golden edging.
The dark-gold ripples beneath the Gate of Severing the Killing Tribulation also became more stable.
Everyone knelt.
Lan Shuang, Lady Mingzhu, Han Jue, Ao Lie, Feng Li, Lin Yue, Ancestor Xuan Jia, the Sea Devourer Beast Spirit, and countless Abyss beings all kowtowed toward the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
"Congratulations, Emperor!"
Their voices swept through Abyss like ocean tides.
But Lu Chen was not carried away in the slightest.
As he watched that wisp of Merit, his first thought was trouble.
Heaven-and-Earth Merit was a good thing.
But when Merit descended, it also meant that Abyss had been noticed by the laws of heaven and earth.
Previously, he had hidden in the Northern Sea Abyss. With the Chaos Tortoise Breathing Method, the Heaven-Deceiving Tortoise Shell, and the Abyssal Womb Membrane concealing him layer upon layer, even great external powers would struggle to observe him.
Now that Merit had descended, would the Heavenly Dao take notice?
Would Nuwa decide in advance that the Black Tortoise in the Northern Sea looked rather promising?
Thinking of his four legs, which might one day support the heavens, Lu Chen immediately felt a chill run through his shell.
The system's voice rang out.
"Detected that the Three Lives Gate has obtained Heaven-and-Earth Merit. Please make a selection."
"First: distribute the Merit among Abyss's clans, raising the cultivation of all races. Reward: praise from all races."
"Second: retain the Merit within the Three Lives Gate, strengthening the majesty of Abyss's entrance. Reward: increased power of the Three Lives Gate."
"Third: merge the Merit into the Old Shell, enhancing the Old Shell's fate-bearing capacity. Reward: increased stability of the sixth layer of the Chaos Shell-Shedding Method."
Lu Chen's eyes immediately lit up.
Merge it into the Old Shell.
Enhance its fate-bearing capacity.
Wasn't that exactly what he needed most?
Merit would be seen by the Heavenly Dao.
But if it merged into the Old Shell and made it more like the Black Tortoise destined to support the heavens in the future, then his main body would have a greater chance of escaping.
Danger and benefit lay before him at once.
Lu Chen considered it for only a breath.
"Choose the third."
"Congratulations, Host. The stability of the sixth layer of the Chaos Shell-Shedding Method has increased."
That wisp of Merit did not scatter among the clans, nor did it remain entirely within the Three Lives Gate.
After being refined by the Three Lives Gate, it transformed into a slender golden thread and sank into Abyss's depths.
In the end, it landed upon Lu Chen's Old Shell.
Boom!
Lu Chen felt only a faint tremor deep within his shell.
A barely visible golden pattern slowly emerged upon the Old Shell.
The pattern was inconspicuous.
Yet it contained an extraordinarily special power of bearing.
The Old Shell bore causality.
The Old Shell bore earth veins.
The Old Shell bore the spark of life.
Now, the Old Shell also bore a wisp of Heaven-and-Earth Merit.
If the day of Heaven Mending truly came in the future, the Heavenly Dao would likely recognize this Old Shell even more readily as the "Northern Sea Black Tortoise."
As for Lu Chen's main body, it could hide even deeper with the Chaos Shell-Shedding Method.
As Lu Chen sensed this change, his mood instantly turned delighted.
"Merit is pretty good too."
"As long as it enters the Old Shell, it's all good stuff."
At Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Lan Shuang watched the Merit flow into Abyss's depths, and the reverence in her eyes deepened.
In her view, the Emperor had not kept the Merit all for himself.
Though that wisp of Merit had entered Abyss's depths, it had strengthened the Three Lives Gate and made the Abyss Minor World more stable.
The Emperor was bearing the Merit himself, stabilizing the path of tribulation evasion for all beings of Abyss.
Lady Mingzhu said softly, "The Emperor bears Merit, and Abyss bears vitality."
Ancestor Xuan Jia slowly nodded.
"This is the bearing of a true great power."
Ao Lie gazed at the Three Lives Gate, his emotions incredibly complicated.
The Dragon Clan had fought for countless years, gaining Fortune, resources, authority, and ever-heavier karmic debt.
Abyss saved the young and weak, established the Three Lives Gate, and had actually received a wisp of Merit.
The difference between the two shook him once more.
Feng Li looked toward the Young Clans Court.
Many young Frost Phoenix chicks were gazing up at the golden light of Merit, their eyes filled with innocent confusion.
She suddenly felt that choosing Abyss for the Frost Phoenix Lineage had been the most correct decision of her life.
Lin Yue also looked toward Mysterious Peak Mountain.
When the Merit of the Three Lives Gate descended, the earth veins of Mysterious Peak Mountain stabilized as well.
The Water Qilin Branch truly had a place where it could take root in the future.
At the same time.
Eastern Sea Ancestral Dragon Palace.
The Ancestral Dragon suddenly opened his eyes.
He looked toward the Northern Sea, golden light flowing through his eyes.
"The Three Lives Gate."
"Heaven-and-Earth Merit."
The Dragon Clan experts in the hall sensed the change in the Ancestral Dragon's aura and lowered their heads.
The Ancestral Dragon offered no explanation.
He merely remained silent for a long time before murmuring, "Black Tortoise, you truly opened a gate for all living beings."
Deep within the Southern Undying Volcano.
Yuanfeng also sensed the golden light of Merit.
She looked toward the Northern Sea, her expression complicated.
"The Frost Phoenixes may truly survive in Abyss."
Deep beneath the earth.
The Primordial Qilin sensed the fluctuations from Mysterious Peak Mountain and the Earth-Vein Seal, then slowly sighed.
"A gate for evading tribulation."
"Do not contend for Fortune, and Merit will come of its own accord."
"This Black Tortoise sees farther than we do."
Western Demonic Domain.
Luohou's reaction was completely different.
When he saw Merit descend over the Northern Sea, the demonic light in his eyes immediately turned icy.
Merit was the bane of demonic qi.
If the Three Lives Gate continued operating, it would save more beings who should have become resentful souls in the Great Tribulation.
That was equivalent to weakening the resources of the Demonic Dao.
Youdu knelt beneath the Black Lotus Altar, his voice cold and sinister.
"Demonic Ancestor, Abyss has established the Three Lives Gate."
"If they are allowed to continue receiving those evading tribulation, the Three-Clan Battlefield will lose a great number of resentful souls."
Luohou sneered.
"Then send them resentful souls."
Youdu raised his head.
Luohou said slowly, "Don't they want to save all living beings?"
"I would like to see whether that Black Tortoise will save them when the resentful souls of all races press against his gate."
The demonic light in Youdu's eyes surged.
"This subordinate understands."
Eastern Nameless Immortal Mountain.
Hongjun likewise looked toward the Northern Sea.
There was no killing intent in his eyes.
Only a trace of contemplation.
"The Three Lives Gate."
"It illuminates causality, tests the nature of one's mind, and severs the Killing Tribulation."
"Though this method is small, it accords with a sliver of life."
"The Northern Sea Black Tortoise may be worth meeting someday."
Deep within Abyss.
Lu Chen vaguely sensed several distant gazes sweeping across the Northern Sea.
He immediately activated the Heaven-Deceiving Tortoise Shell, wrapping himself even more tightly.
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm just a tortoise in seclusion."
"They built the Three Lives Gate."
"The Merit entered the Old Shell."
"It has little to do with my main body."
He comforted himself for a long while before barely calming down again.
However, soon afterward, a stream of demonic qi silently rose from the west.
Youdu swept toward the Northern Sea once more, carrying the resentful souls of all races.