Chapter 313: Interest

"You have a Dao Artifact, and there are signs that you have cultivated several supreme divine abilities. The aura of time accumulated on your body is only about sixty years. You also seem to possess a special physique, one highly compatible with the void. You have fortune, comprehension, and talent. Naturally, you inevitably invite jealousy, and that leads to trouble coming your way continuously," the woman said calmly.

These words, which exposed almost all his secrets, instantly made Yaoguang’s heart tighten. He felt like the woman had seen completely through him with a single glance.

The woman’s features were only above average, but her skin was cold and fair like jade. Her expression carried an indescribable sense of aloofness.

As she stood there, her every movement, every word, and every action seemed to be carried out in the way that was most compatible with heaven and earth, most compatible with nature.

Anyone who saw her would feel that a person’s words and deeds should be just like that.

No matter what she did, it represented the kind of perfection all living beings ought to imitate.

This feeling of her being incomparably compatible with the outside world, or even making heaven and earth align with her, combined with how she had seen through nearly all of his secrets at a glance and appeared silently without letting him detect the slightest abnormality...

It immediately allowed Yaoguang to guess the identity of the woman before him.

"Are you... the Penglai Dao Lord?" he asked, giving a fist-and-palm salute.

"Correct. This is a manifested incarnation of mine." The woman calmly acknowledged it.

Her expression remained as aloof as ever.

Yaoguang’s heart trembled. The Penglai Dao Lord!

Although this was only an incarnation, she had appeared beside him without him noticing at all, and he did not even know how long she had been there.

In other words, as long as she did not want him to discover her, he might never be able to locate the Dao Lord in his entire life.

And this was only the wonder displayed by an incarnation.

How powerful, then, would a true Dao Lord be?!

A manifestation of the Great Dao? Was facing a Dao Lord’s true body directly equivalent to facing the Great Dao itself?!

One had to know that even powerful Void-Shattering cultivators could only shatter the void through the Dao Techniques they had cultivated, and through that perceive the Three Thousand Great Daos carried by the void.

Only then could they comprehend and cultivate step by step.

Only after comprehending one of the Great Daos to perfection could they attempt to merge with the Dao and become a Dao Lord.

However, there were countless Void-Shattering cultivators in the world. Putting aside whether they could reach perfect comprehension of a Great Dao, even after doing so, ninety-nine percent of Void-Shattering cultivators would still fail at the step of merging with the Dao and end up assimilated by the Great Dao, becoming part of the operation of all things in the world.

That single step was far more difficult than going from the Golden Core Realm to the Void-Piercing Realm.

Yet now Yaoguang, who had not even seen Void-Refining or Void-Shattering experts before, was facing a Dao Lord!

Even if it was only an incarnation, she was still a Dao Lord!

A Dao Lord was an existence standing at the peak of the North Sea Star. Each one was an overlord capable of establishing a force on the level of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects.

The Penglai Dao Lord continued, "You have a special physique, which makes it easier for you to cultivate to the Void-Piercing Realm than others. This step is not difficult for you. However... I think that if you want to resolve your issues with the Heavenly Dao Sect and Taiyi Immortal Sect, breaking through to the Void-Piercing Realm and killing those Void-Piercing Realm cultivators outside the Biyou Immortal Market is not the best solution."

"Void-Piercing Realm elders are high-ranking figures in any faction. Killing them will undoubtedly offend the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Taiyi Immortal Sect. For the sake of their sects’ dignity and their division of interests, they won't be able to stay indifferent. They will definitely send Void-Refining Realm cultivators to hunt you down. The Jade Emperor may even personally act against you. Even if your talent is extraordinary and your combat strength keeps breaking through, allowing you to kill them all, there are still Dao Lords behind the two sects. Can you kill the Dao Lords behind both sects as well?"

Yaoguang naturally understood this reasoning.

Previously, he didn't have many choices. But now, the Penglai Dao Lord had deliberately sent an incarnation here...

"Please enlighten me, Dao Lord." Yaoguang gave a fist-and-palm salute.

He had no choice but to listen. Before a Dao Lord, all the methods he currently possessed were meaningless.

"Become a true disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect." The Penglai Dao Lord directly suggested an option Yaoguang had long since discarded.

Under his somewhat stunned gaze, this top expert calmly said, "Become a true disciple, then break through to the Void-Piercing Realm in one go and compete for the position of the Heavenly Dao Sect’s deputy sect master. After that, become the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect. That way, one day you will completely control the Heavenly Dao Sect. At that time, the problems with both the Heavenly Dao Sect and Taiyi Immortal Sect will be resolved. And if you can accomplish this..."

The Dao Lord seemed to think of some interesting scene, and a faint smile actually appeared on her aloof face. "When the time comes, the reactions of those who hunted and persecuted you will surely be very interesting."

Yaoguang glanced at the Penglai Dao Lord...

He vaguely felt that the reason this Dao Lord’s gaze had fallen on him might have something to do with their similar past experiences.

Joining a great sect, carrying secrets, and suffering pursuit. Yet also possessing exceptional talent and growing stronger the more one fought.

So, she wanted to watch some entertainment through him? However...

"I’m afraid I can no longer participate in the Heavenly Dao Sect’s true disciple assessment," Yaoguang said.

"Do not participate in the true disciple assessment," the Penglai Dao Lord said. "The Heavenly Dao Sect has one major difference from other top forces, and that is the Great Dao Golden Book!"

"The Great Dao Golden Book?" Yaoguang’s heart stirred.

This Dao Artifact was left behind by Dao Venerable Hong Meng, the founder of the Heavenly Dao Sect. It was a Dao Artifact with an artifact spirit.

Throughout the countless years of the Heavenly Dao Sect, every Dao Lord had left their own Great Dao power upon it, refining it multiple times. No one knew what level this supreme treasure had cultivated to now.

"The Great Dao Golden Book does not interfere in the operation of the sect at all, but no one can violate the rules written on it. The purpose of these rules isn't to restrict anything. Its true purpose is to ensure the Heavenly Dao Sect’s inheritance at the most basic level. The two most important components of a sect’s inheritance are the true disciples and the sect master," the Penglai Dao Lord explained. "The rule regarding true disciples is very simple. Any inner sect disciple who can defeat all true disciples will automatically obtain the status of a true disciple."

"Defeat all true disciples?" Yaoguang’s expression grew slightly solemn.

He remembered that the Heavenly Dao Sect’s rules stated that only the number one inner sect disciple could challenge the eighty-eight true disciples...

But after thinking it over carefully, he understood.

These rules had clearly been set by those in power within the immortal lineage, and they differed from the rules recorded in the Great Dao Golden Book.

According to the logic of the Great Dao Golden Book, if an inner sect disciple could crush all the true disciples, then if he was not a true disciple, who was?

"Second, after any true disciple advances to the Void-Piercing Realm, they are given the title of young sect master, and they enjoy the same treatment as a deputy sect master. If they can cultivate to the Void-Refining Realm within a thousand years, they will automatically be promoted to deputy sect master," the Penglai Dao Lord said. "Unlike the Void-Piercing Realm elders, every young sect master has the authority to directly apply for arbitration from the Great Dao Golden Book if they suffer unjust persecution within the Heavenly Dao Sect."

Young sect master. Generally speaking, that title referred to the successor to the sect master position.

However, top immortal sects usually had quite a few young sect masters.

"If you really are capable and talented enough, then after becoming deputy sect master, you can display all your talents without the need to hide them. Once you cultivate to the Void-Shattering Realm, the previous sect master will automatically abdicate, and you will become the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect." As the Penglai Dao Lord said this, another smile appeared on her aloof face. "I am very interested in seeing that happen."

After listening to the Penglai Dao Lord's words, Yaoguang did not answer immediately.

He had heard a little about the rules and strangeness of the Great Dao Golden Book.

Back then, the reason he had chosen to join the Heavenly Dao Sect was because of the bottom line the Great Dao Golden Book had drawn for the Heavenly Dao Sect.

If everything the Penglai Dao Lord said was true, he could picture himself one day sitting in the position of the Heavenly Dao Sect’s sect master...

He also smiled. "What a coincidence. I am also very interested in that scene."

"It seems like you are very confident." The Penglai Dao Lord looked at him.

It wouldn't be difficult for Yaoguang to break through to the Void-Piercing Realm. But to climb step by step from the Void-Piercing Realm to the Void-Refining Realm, and then compete for the position of sect master within one of the top immortal sects, becoming the one who controlled one of the most powerful organizations in this world... The difficulty of something like that was on an entirely different level.

Even though the luck, comprehension, and talent Yaoguang has displayed were not bad, the Penglai Dao lord still wouldn't place too much hope in him. After all, not everyone could possess the same fortune and talent she did.

But seeing his confident appearance, she could not help but feel a little more anticipation.

"Give it a try?" she asked.

"I will give it a try." Yaoguang nodded. "But I still need to wait a little longer."

With his current strength, he was still a little short of obtaining the status of a true disciple by crushing all eighty-eight true disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

"It is good to be steady." The Penglai Dao Lord directly took out a jade talisman.

"This jade talisman records two secret arts. One of them is the Grotto Origin Technique. An Azure Golden Core cultivator advancing to the Void-Piercing Realm is different from becoming a Void-Piercing Realm battle immortal. Void-Piercing Realm battle immortals cultivate the power of the Primordial Void, while true Void-Piercing Realm cultivators cultivate the power of a grotto-heaven. The difference of a single word is like the difference between heaven and earth. The key to opening a grotto-heaven lies in completing it in one breath. By cultivating the Grotto Origin Technique, you can simulate everything involved in opening a grotto-heaven beforehand, allowing you to complete the process instantly and reach the Void-Piercing Realm..."

She paused. "However, this secret technique is not easy to cultivate. Whether you can master it will depend on your comprehension."

"Grotto Origin Technique." Yaoguang looked at this secret technique.

All kinds of secret techniques and information regarding the Void-Piercing Realm rapidly flashed through his mind.

This information was as vast and boundless as grains of sand. Normally, he would have no idea how much time and energy it would take to search through it. However, by using the keyword "Grotto Origin Technique" while searching the knowledge available through the ancient tree, he quickly found this secret technique.

As he rapidly digested the information, he mastered the secret technique.

"Thank you very much." Yaoguang accepted the jade talisman.

"Besides the Grotto Origin Technique, it also contains a supreme divine ability, as well as a complete Dao Technique and Dao resonance! The Dao Technique points directly to the source and belongs to the Great Dao of origin. At the supreme divine ability stage, it can strengthen your origin by fifty percent. In other words, when your Azure Golden Core reaches the limit of its mass, it can increase that limit by another fifty percent. With this, crushing the Heavenly Dao Sect’s eighty-eight true disciples will be easy," the Dao Lord said.

A divine ability, a Dao Technique, and Dao resonance?! Yaoguang was inwardly shocked.

If this complete set were purchased from the outside world, wouldn't it cost tens of millions of Pure Yang Grand Pills? Yet this Dao Lord had simply taken it out.

And the Great Dao of origin?! The Great Dao that the Penglai Dao Lord had merged with was actually this one?

No wonder she could beat the Heavenly Sea Sword Pavilion into shutting its doors and was even faintly called the strongest expert on the North Sea Star.

The Great Dao of origin had that kind of capability.

"Through this void-type array art, you can cross the distance from the Biyou Immortal Market to the Heavenly Dao Sect and arrive directly at the Heavenly Dao Sect. And this power will trigger a reaction from the Great Dao Golden Book." After the Penglai Dao Lord finished speaking, she waved her hand through the air. An array emitting extremely stable void fluctuations was inscribed on the cultivation plaza.

"I will be waiting to see your performance." With those words, her incarnation dispersed like a ray of clear light, vanishing without a trace.