Refining a Treasure with Merit: The Twenty-Four-Petal Pure World White Lotus!

At the center of the battlefield, Li Yi felt merit envelop him and could not hide his smile.

He had killed Qiongqi and slain Shenni. He alone had earned nearly half the credit for this Beast Calamity Tribulation!

Now that the merit was being divided, he naturally received the largest share!

Heavenly Dao Merit could be used for cultivation, for refining treasures, and even for protection against calamity. It was hard currency anywhere in the Primordial World!

With matters here settled, Li Yi had no desire to linger. He said goodbye to Yuanfeng beside him, took a step, and instantly crossed hundreds of millions of miles.

On Penglai Island, Yuanling was tending the Immortal Herbs and Dao trees with care.

Just then, she faintly sensed a ripple in the island-protecting array. The next moment, Li Yi appeared before her.

Yuanling's heart tightened. She stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Dao Master!"

Li Yi nodded slightly. He glanced over the island's Immortal Herbs, pleased with what he saw.

After a few casual instructions, he hurried back to his place of seclusion. He had already decided how to use his merit.

Yuanling respectfully watched Li Yi leave, then relaxed. Looking at the island full of Immortal Herbs, she felt a quiet contentment.

Though she was away from her people, life on this Immortal Island was pleasant. More importantly, Dao Master Qiankun was easy to get along with. If fate allowed him to take her under his wing someday, becoming a Sage's Disciple would be nice too...

At his place of seclusion, Li Yi summoned the Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform. He set aside half the merit he had gained from the Calamity Cycle and placed both into the Cosmos Cauldron.

The Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform was already a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure. Refined with merit, it might advance into the ranks of supreme treasures.

An Innate Supreme Treasure and a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure might seem only one grade apart, but that single grade was a vast gulf.

Of course, merit could bridge it. The Heaven and Earth Dark-Yellow Exquisite Pagoda of later ages, for instance, would be a postnatal treasure, yet its immense merit would make it the foremost defensive supreme treasure! In defense alone, it would be no weaker than the Chaos Bell!

His mind made up, Li Yi did not hesitate. He drove the Cosmos Cauldron at full power, fusing the merit of the Calamity Cycle into the Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform.

Years meant little in the Primordial World. In the blink of an eye, more than a hundred thousand passed.

On Penglai Island, Li Yi sat cross-legged in a sealed chamber, gazing at the Cosmos Cauldron before him. He could not hide his delight.

It worked!

At the same time, auspicious energy filled Penglai Immortal Island. Visions appeared in the sky: immortal lotuses bloomed, and Dao Resonance lingered in the air.

The visions even pierced the island's protective wards and appeared over the Primordial Continent. Outsiders assumed a Spirit Treasure had emerged and began searching the Mountain Ranges.

In the sealed chamber, as the visions appeared, the Pure World Lotus Platform slowly rose from the Cosmos Cauldron. Its original twelve layers of petals had transformed into twenty-four!

Lotus fragrance spread through the chamber. Anyone below the Golden Immortal realm who smelled it would probably break through on the spot!

Li Yi looked at the Twenty-Four-Petal Pure World White Lotus floating in the air and could not stop grinning.

With half his merit poured into it, the Pure World White Lotus had transformed directly from a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure into an Innate Merit Supreme Treasure!

Standing upon the White Lotus placed him beyond defeat from the outset. No technique could breach its defense!

In other words, no power of law could penetrate the Pure World White Lotus's protection.

Li Yi looked at the shrunken White Lotus in his hand, thoroughly pleased with himself. Innate Supreme Treasures were rare even on the Primordial Continent.

Some had arisen when the heavens were opened, such as the Taiji Diagram. Others had formed before that, such as the Cosmos Cauldron that had accompanied him from birth.

Now, through merit from the Calamity Cycle, he had forced a supreme treasure into existence! Of course, the Pure World White Lotus had a strong enough foundation. It had been a seed of the Genesis Azure Lotus and was already among the very finest Supreme-Grade Spirit Treasures. With an ordinary treasure of that grade, even all his merit might not have been enough to transform it into an Innate Supreme Treasure.

Li Yi put away the Twenty-Four-Petal Pure World White Lotus and turned his attention to his other treasures.

His defenses were now arguably unmatched among those of his realm! Even three Mid-stage Quasi-Saint Cultivators working together would struggle to break through them.

His defense was more than sufficient, but his offensive power was still lacking.

With that in mind, Li Yi took out the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Pearls the Phoenix Clan had given him.

While refining the Pure World White Lotus over the years, he had also formed an idea. The Sea-Calming Pearls were offensive Spirit Treasures, and crucially, they could emit five-colored light that obscured an enemy's senses! Once a pearl came crashing down, there was little chance to resist.

At his current level, though, he felt that was not enough.

What if he followed the example of the Immortal-Slaying Sword that Luohou would refine in later ages and gave the Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Pearls an Array Diagram?

Their offensive power would grow even stronger, and they would gain the ability to lock down space!

His mind made up, Li Yi took out the High-grade Innate Spirit Treasure Dao Diagram he had obtained from Shenni and placed it in the Cosmos Cauldron. Drawing on the Formation Dao he had pondered over the years, he began refining it.

The Beast Calamity Tribulation had passed, and the Three Clans' dominance of the Primordial World had become the prevailing order.

Cultivation was, at its heart, a struggle! If one clan gained more resources, another would have less!

The Three Clans were evenly matched and naturally regarded one another as rivals. Before, they had shared the goal of slaying Fierce Beasts and competing for Fortune. Now that the Beast Calamity Tribulation was over, all three believed they were Fortune's chosen, and none would yield.

Inside the palace, Yuanfeng listened to her clanspeople's reports. She rubbed her forehead with slender fingers, growing increasingly troubled.

"Lady Yuanfeng, the Dragon Clan has gone too far! Everyone in our clan is eager to fight..."

"Sister, if war breaks out, the Phoenix Clan has at least a seventy percent chance of winning!"

"As long as the Dragon Clan survives, the Phoenix Clan cannot rule Heaven and Earth!"

Looking at the clanspeople below, all itching for a fight, Yuanfeng vaguely sensed something was wrong. Yet even as their progenitor, she would find it hard to change their minds!

Even if she could restrain her people from attacking first, she could not simply ignore the Dragon Clan's provocations. She could hardly forbid them from fighting back!

"I understand. Have our people prepare for battle!"

The Phoenix Clan members below were delighted. They turned and hurried off to make arrangements.

Yuanfeng sat on her Throne, restless and troubled. Her thoughts drifted to her earlier visit to Li Yi's Immortal Island, and she felt a twinge of envy.

Fellow Daoist Qiankun lives alone, free to do as he pleases!

She, by contrast, bore responsibility for her clan's prosperity. Dealing with its daily affairs kept her busy enough, let alone finding time for secluded cultivation!

Thinking over recent events, Yuanfeng made up her mind. She rose, left the Immortal Palace, and flew toward Penglai Immortal Island.

Given Fellow Daoist Qiankun's nature, he probably would not involve himself in this looming calamity. Still, she could ask him a few questions and hear what he thought.

At her Quasi-Saint level, the distance was nothing. In less than half an hour, she arrived outside Penglai Immortal Island.

"Fellow Daoist Qiankun, Yuanfeng requests an audience!"