Chapter 762 - 757: Observing the Book
Lü Yang, of course, wasn’t foolish enough to fight Ang Xiao to the death.
After all, it was completely meaningless. So what if he won? So what if he lost? The Ang Xiao of today could no longer make him feel excited or happy.
The Sea of Suffering.
Endless waters of imagery churned. Lü Yang stood upon the Dao of Arcane Body that surfaced above the water, frantically drawing out its Mighty Power. His originally weak Qi trace began to rise once more.
Before long, a bloody light appeared and gathered. Flesh, bones, and organs were born one by one, and a flawless body appeared once again. Lü Yang immediately activated his Dao Body and merged with it, returning to his former Peak state—or perhaps even stronger!
RUMBLE!
Following the tremendous, earth-shaking sound, the Past Dust Appearance and Rebirth Appearance emerged one after another from behind Lü Yang, once again beginning to expand outward.
With every step of their expansion, the roar of the Dao of Arcane Body grew louder.
In this process, his Dharma Body was constantly strengthening. The areas he walked across, the imagery of the Dao of Arcane Body, were painted with his color.
’This is one of the gains from this battle!’
Lü Yang had an epiphany. Why had his occupied territory on the Dao of Arcane Body inexplicably expanded after his injuries healed, even though he hadn’t deliberately tried to comprehend it?
The reason was simple:
’The Dao of Arcane Body is a Dao that requires battle! My Dharma Body was repeatedly damaged in the previous series of fights and was even completely destroyed in the end. That’s why it made such great progress after recovering. It’s like forging steel—only through being hammered and tempered a thousand times can the strongest steel be created!’
Of course, this didn’t mean that self-harm would lead to improvement.
’The key is external force. Forging steel requires a heavy hammer, quenching, and polishing. Self-harm won’t work. True progress can only be achieved through combat.’
A long time later, the changes to the Dao of Arcane Body gradually ceased.
’It’s done...!’
Lü Yang raised his head and looked at the wide area he had carved out. It now occupied a full two-tenths of the entire Dao of Arcane Body, leaving him quite satisfied.
As the occupied area increased, the feedback from the Dao of Arcane Body also rose to a new level. The most direct manifestations were that the Rebirth Appearance could now bear more injuries, the power of the Tribulation Evil Profound Light was stronger, and even the Past Dust Appearance on the other side showed faint signs of a new change.
Lü Yang sensed it in his heart and a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.
’The Past Dust Appearance has an opening!’
Before this, the Past Dust Appearance had devoured the Profound Mysterious and imagery of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire. It had actually been nearing saturation and couldn’t devour any more Fruits.
But things were different now.
He could clearly sense that the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire was no longer enough to satisfy the Past Dust Appearance. It needed something bigger.
’I can eat another Fruit.’
A Heart Thought stirred in Lü Yang. He thought of the Fruit of Blade-Edge Metal and the Fruit of Rampart Earth, which he had plans for with his Life Form Body, but he shook his head after a moment.
’Demon Subduing Zhenren can’t pursue Seeking Gold for now, and Yuan Tu hasn’t reached Foundation Establishment Perfection yet. Besides, those two Supreme Fruit Positions are too conspicuous. There are Masters of Dao watching them.’
’In that case... only the Water Element is left.’
At this thought, Lü Yang let out a cold sneer.
’The Old Loach’s Fruit of Vast-Sea Water... I can’t do anything about that for now. But I can start by taking revenge on his son and find a way to snatch the Fruit of Sky-River Water!’
With that, a plan formed in his mind: ’The Old Loach took back the supreme position of the Fruit of Vast-Sea Water. Is it possible for me to make it fall again? It would be best if it changes to a different Water Fruit Position. I could then devour that one. In a roundabout way, that would count as me eating a Water Element Supreme Fruit Position.’
The plan was perfect.
However, for the vast majority of Cultivators, this was an impossible feat. No one understood the changes in the Water Fruit Positions better than the Old Dragon Monarch.
Especially the Fruit of Vast-Sea Water.
This Dao Fruit had always been under the Old Dragon Monarch’s control, never entrusted to outsiders. Naturally, there was no way for anyone else to learn the secret of its supreme position’s transformation.
’But... I’m different!’
Lü Yang sensed the Five Elements Supreme Fruit Position Book imprinted on his Dao Heart and sneered internally. The secrets of the Fruit of Vast-Sea Water could no longer be hidden from him!
Thinking of this, he immediately departed the Sea of Suffering.
Without the slightest pause, he entered the Void Land, sensed the coordinates, and after a dizzying spin, he had already returned to the Nourishing Life Master.
The moment he stepped into the Nourishing Life Master, Lü Yang immediately felt as if the five Supreme Fruit Position Books in his mind had suddenly come to life. Their dormant Dao essence rapidly revived, like docile little lambs, allowing him to manipulate them and inspect their contents at will.
There was just one rather awkward problem.
’I can’t understand it...’
Lü Yang’s eye twitched. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand it at all, but for someone of his average aptitude, the Supreme Fruit Position Book was simply too obscure.
But he quickly adjusted his mentality.
’After all, I don’t lack time. If it just takes time to figure it out, then I’ll take my time. Whether it’s a hundred years or a thousand, I’ll eventually understand it.’
Lü Yang didn’t call on Progenitor Tingyou to help explain it. This was his Dao. Listening to others’ explanations and guidance would always leave a barrier. Only by learning and comprehending it himself would the knowledge he mastered truly be his. Otherwise, the slightest mistake could affect the foundation of his Dao path.
Besides, Progenitor Tingyou was very busy right now.
Although two and a half years had passed, Summon’s healing was still not over. So, the only one who was actually free at the moment was Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.
But Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was too special.
Although he walked the Void Certificate Sword Dao, he had been "washed" by the Centome. There were no Books recorded within the Nourishing Life Master for him, so it was of little use to him.
Gathering his Heart Spirit, Lü Yang simply found a place to sit down.
He wasn’t worried about Ang Xiao coming to find him. After all, Ang Xiao alone couldn’t kill him. Even if he couldn’t win the fight, he could always just run away.
’I’ll start learning from the easiest one first.’
Since he was going to comprehend them, he naturally had to choose the easiest one. For Lü Yang, the easiest to understand was, of course, the Fruit of Celestial Fire, which he had controlled in a past life.
Soon, the Book was opened.
’The Fruit of Celestial Fire warms mountains and seas, its brilliance illuminates the cosmos. It pairs well with water from the ravine. Metal shines like the sun and moon; forest wood is considered precious; earth is found within sand; and it is aided by the gentle wind...’
Lü Yang’s Heart Spirit gradually sank into it.
In the Fruit Position Book for the Fruit of Celestial Fire, he saw an incredibly unique and vast new world—the compatibility between different Fruits!
’The Fruit of Celestial Fire... in terms of Gold, it pairs with Blade-Edge and Hairpin-Bracelet; all other Golds bring disaster. This single piece of information alone is priceless. Wasn’t it this very point that caused True Monarch Gangxing’s downfall back then? He failed to fully comprehend the mutual generation and compatibility between Fruits, which ultimately led to him crippling himself.’
Without him realizing, time flew by.
Lü Yang became completely immersed in his deductions about the Fruit of Celestial Fire. Gradually, his gaze brightened, and a combination emerged in his mind:
’The Fruit of Celestial Fire, the Fruit of Spring Water, and the Fruit of Pomegranate Wood.’
’Although it’s only Three Elements, they are all Fruits I have experience with. They are also perfectly compatible, with no conflicts between them. They couldn’t be more suitable for me!’
But soon, his thoughts took another turn:
’I already have the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, but even considering things from this angle, the Fruit of Pomegranate Wood and the Fruit of Spring Water are still compatible with it!’
’What’s even better is that I’m using the Dao of Arcane Body to devour Fruits. Originally, the Fruit of Spring Water was under Fellow Daoist Suo Huan’s control, so I couldn’t possibly seize it by force. However, now that Fellow Daoist Suo Huan plans to extract the power of the Fruit of Spring Water to move it to the World Heaven Seed, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to take it!’
At this thought, Lü Yang’s heart pounded with excitement.
Regarding using the Dao of Arcane Body to devour Fruits, he had always had a theory: A True Monarch of Cave Heaven Technique could generally advance to Great Perfected Lord by gathering Three Elements Fruits.
So what about an Ancient Golden Core?
’If I use the Dao of Arcane Body to devour Three Elements Fruits, can I achieve an effect similar to the Pocket World Technique and advance to Great Perfected Lord through the Dao of Arcane Body?’
This wasn’t mentioned in the Skill of Perfect Vitality, but he was hopeful about it.
Just then, a strange fluctuation suddenly appeared within the Nourishing Life Master, instantly snapping Lü Yang back to his senses. He looked in the direction the fluctuation came from.
’Who is it? Ang Xiao?’
Lü Yang was on alert, but the figure that appeared in the Nourishing Life Master the next second left him stunned... simply because he had almost completely forgotten about this person.
’Mu Changsheng?’