Chapter 553: The Thorn in Chen Dong's Heart

Chen Dong was stunned. While there was still much he didn’t fully grasp, he understood the core of it. Considering You’s immense power, his reluctance to act made sense now. The more he interfered, the more his very existence would be erased.

No wonder You seemed so ethereal now. Chen Dong recalled being able to see his physical form before, but now he was constantly shrouded in a black robe and never seemed to touch the ground. And despite his incredible power, he lived in this Divine Palace where the Spiritual Qi was practically nonexistent.

‘Spiritual Qi is useless to him now!’

At his current level, Chen Dong needed to consume Spirit Stones daily just to maintain his Realm. Zisang Jin didn’t need to, as her Nascent Soul was frozen. You’s behavior, which had seemed odd at first, now made perfect sense.

It also explained why he wouldn’t even explicitly guide Zisang Jin in comprehending Dao Essence. He wanted to avoid direct involvement in worldly affairs.

Liu Ling, in turn, felt a sense of relief. She had sensed from the start that something was off about You. He had sealed Mu Qingzhu within Chen Dong’s body to keep her from learning certain things, yet he hadn’t sealed Liu Ling herself. It wasn’t because he was incapable. Rather, as the Artifact Spirit of a Hongmeng Dao Artifact, sealing her would constitute too great an interference, causing his own existence to become even more tenuous.

Furthermore, given the nature of the Path of Reverse Order, a Hongmeng Dao Artifact could be considered an apex of the Great Dao. You would never dare to covet it, let alone leak any information about it. Any resulting instability would only worsen his already severe condition.

A confused look filled Chen Dong’s eyes. He couldn’t help but ask, “If that’s the case, why did he establish the All Heaven Guarding Array? His current state must be a result of creating the Guardian Array!”

Liu Ling shook her head. “Who can possibly fathom the will of such a being? I don’t know the answer to that, either. If you want to understand, you’ll have to ask him yourself. But regardless of his reasons, I think I have an idea of what he’s planning to do!”

Chen Dong asked urgently, “What on earth is You trying to do?”

Chen Dong’s concern wasn’t just because You clearly had tasks he wanted him to perform; the matter of Li Wang’s existence was also a thorn in his heart.

Li Wang had also been brought back from the dead. Though the methods were different, could she too have leaped from the Path of Order into the Path of Reverse Order? If so, would she one day become ethereal, then fade away from the world, unseen and untouchable? Would she become one of the “escaped ones”—an existence beyond the reach of the Great Dao itself?

“I’m only speculating,” Liu Ling said, her expression serious. She then fixed her gaze on Chen Dong, her brow furrowed.

“The Great Dao cycles naturally. If it’s possible to defy its laws and escape into the Path of Reverse Order, then it must also be possible to be reborn from the Path of Reverse Order and return to the Path of Order. The process is incredibly difficult, but this must be You’s plan. And he wants you to help him.”

Chen Dong’s brow furrowed. ‘If that’s true, then of course I have to help.’ To him, You wasn’t good or evil. He had coerced him many times, but he had never truly tried to kill him. Besides, because of Li Wang… if You could cycle back from that illusory infinity into the Path of Order, then Li Wang could too. No matter what, helping You would also be helping Li Wang.

‘You probably didn’t say so explicitly for two reasons,’ he thought. ‘First, I’m currently under the influence of the Joyful Fragrance. And second, given his condition, there are probably many things he simply can’t say out loud anymore.’

So, Chen Dong asked, “How exactly does one of the ‘escaped ones’ reverse the process and return to the Great Dao?”

Liu Ling bit her lip, her expression grave. “It requires a Realm Spirit Heart. One must use the laws of an entire world to solidify a new body and infuse it with the Power of Law. Only then can they be pulled back from the boundless void and returned to the natural Dao governed by law!”

The words had barely left her mouth, and before Chen Dong could even process their meaning, the space before them rippled. A figure in a black robe emerged from the distortion.

“So you truly are an Artifact Spirit of a Dao Artifact, to know even this.”

You’s voice was completely devoid of emotion, but it gave Liu Ling a terrible fright.

Although she was the Artifact Spirit of a Hongmeng Dao Artifact, she had weathered several Spiritual Qi tides over countless eons, and her own cultivation was currently only at the Nascent Soul Stage. The only reason she could perform her various feats was by drawing upon the power of the Hongmeng Dao Artifact itself.

Liu Ling instinctively tried to hide, to retreat back into the Jade Pendant.

“No need to hide,” You said flatly. “You’re already out, and you’ve said everything you should and shouldn’t have. It is true that I have fallen into the Path of Reverse Order. I am rejected by all laws, and my body has become quite illusory. If I hadn’t once passed an Immortal Tribulation, and if we weren’t in the Floating Shadow Realm, you likely wouldn’t be able to see me at all.”

With that, You drew open his black robe. Beneath it… was nothing.

That’s right. Nothing. Chen Dong couldn’t perceive a thing, as if he were staring into empty space. To him, this was far more terrifying than any overwhelming miasma of death or nether energy.

‘The ultimate extreme of the boundless Dao. An illusory existence. A being of a different law. An existence that does not exist.’

‘If Li Wang ended up like this… Chen Dong felt he would shatter on the spot.’

You fastened his robe again, seemingly aware of Chen Dong’s fears. “There’s no need for such despair. Her situation is much better than mine. She has already begun to solidify a law-body. It’s just that the laws of the Floating Shadow Realm continue to reject her, which is slowing her progress.”

Chen Dong’s heart leaped. ‘So it’s true, Li Wang is in the same situation!’ But where did she get a Realm Spirit Heart? And what did it mean to solidify a law-body?

Chen Dong was filled with questions. You made it sound so simple, but he knew it couldn’t be. Liu Ling had just said the process was incredibly difficult. It couldn’t possibly be as easy as You made it seem.