Eternal Life through Drawing Lots

...

In the Heavenly Fire Palace, immortal qi drifted and swirled, and a mysterious true fire flickered in and out of existence.

At this moment, Fang Yang stepped forward, intending to follow the trail of that mysterious true fire.

He knew well that this flame possessed a unique creative power that could cause his Sacred Body to undergo a transformation.

The Heavenly Fire Palace was vast, filled with numerous buildings, as well as gardens, ponds, and more.

Now, however, the various ancient bronze vessels and ritual objects within the palace had all lost their divine glow.

Everything Fang Yang saw was shrouded in silence.

There were no living creatures here; the place was utterly devoid of life.

Following his senses, Fang Yang walked forward at a steady pace.

Yu Zither Immortal followed close behind him, matching his every step.

Soon, he came to a stop.

Before them stood a Saint Gate.

The Saint Gate was dark and dilapidated, covered in countless marks.

Each mark radiated an ancient and terrifying aura, demanding attention and forbidding anyone from underestimating it.

Furthermore, the area around the Saint Gate was littered with black tribulation ash, a testament to the dangers of this place.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was likely a trial of some sort, holding many fortunes within.

'My fifth Lifebound Divine Technique—the Martial Dao Celestial Eye!'

The light in Fang Yang's eyes flared as he seemingly pierced through the misty immortal qi of the Saint Gate, peering at the scene on the other side.

Fire. A dense mass of flames, like a magical Sea of Fire stretching out like an ocean.

With just a quick glance, Fang Yang got a general sense of the scene within.

As Fang Yang peered through, Yu Zither Immortal also used an ocular technique to observe the gate.

But her power was far inferior to Fang Yang's. She gained little, only vaguely sensing the presence of a Fire Dao Rhyme.

Seeing this, she took a deep breath.

Without waiting for Fang Yang to urge her on, she prepared to step forward and investigate.

Unexpectedly, Fang Yang was faster.

With the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, Fang Yang stepped through the Saint Gate, his figure gradually fading from view.

"Damn it... damn it," Yu Zither Immortal muttered, her eyes widening as she ground her teeth in frustration.

'Ever since I became a disciple of Chenri the Great Saint, which of the prodigies of my generation hasn't looked up to me?'

'At the very least, they always treat me with courtesy.'

'But with Fang Yang, I've suffered one setback after another.'

As her thoughts shifted, she took a graceful step and followed closely behind Fang Yang, also entering the Saint Gate.

...

Within the Saint Gate lay a Sea of Fire composed of divine flames.

This Sea of Fire seemed to possess a "divinity" that could activate the potential of a Sacred Body and draw the favor of heaven and earth.

When Yu Zither Immortal stepped inside, she saw Fang Yang in a corner up ahead, continuously tempering his Sacred Body.

WHOOSH...

Around Fang Yang, miniature Fire Realms appeared one after another. Like waterspouts, they surged up, frantically plundering the divinity from the Sea of Fire.

The sight made Yu Zither Immortal's eyelids twitch, and she hurriedly began to absorb the fortune for herself.

The Sea of Fire churned endlessly, its divine substance depleting and regenerating.

At this moment, Fang Yang and Yu Zither Immortal kept their distance from one another, cultivating in silence.

One manifested the divine form of a Golden Crow, a great sun hanging high in the sky, noble and aloof.

The other manifested the divine form of a Fusang tree, its roots digging into the Sea of Fire, nourishing nature in return.

HUM...

HUMMM...

The Golden Crow's divine form gently flapped its wings, sending ripples of energy flowing outwards.

These ripples were completely absorbed by the Fusang's divine form, causing the divine substance to be refined at a rapid pace.

The Golden Crow and the Fusang resonated, bestowing a shared fortune upon Fang Yang and Yu Zither Immortal.

In this process, the auras of Fang Yang and Yu Zither Immortal intertwined, fully displaying their respective understandings of the different Fire Dao Schools.

「A while later.」

The Sea of Fire suddenly changed, beginning to boil and churn violently.

The Golden Crow flapped its wings across the sky, while the Fusang tree swayed, standing tall.

The Golden Crow and the Fusang connected. Their Dharma Aspects mixed and swirled, both humming in unison.

In an instant, a torrent of Fire Runes erupted, and the two Dharma Aspects achieved a harmony like the balance of yin and yang.

"What's happening?" Yu Zither Immortal opened her peach blossom eyes.

"My proficiency in the Wood Dao School is actually increasing," Fang Yang noted, his expression calm.

But in the next moment, his heart trembled.

Meanwhile, Yu Zither Immortal trembled in confusion, shooting him a petulant glare.

The Dharma Aspect is the foundation of the Sacred Body and a benchmark for a Cultivator's strength and potential.

To some extent, the Golden Crow Dharma Aspect could represent Fang Yang, and the Fusang Dharma Aspect could represent Yu Zither Immortal.

And after the mysterious true fire stirred the divine flames, causing the two Dharma Aspects to resonate in unison...

...these two Dharma Aspects had truly become alternate versions of themselves!

At that moment, a brilliant orange-yellow light suddenly bloomed between the Golden Crow and the Fusang as the divine fire revived.

Incredibly, the two Dharma Aspects began to combine in a peculiar way.

"Ah..." Yu Zither Immortal cried out in alarm, her body going weak as a strange sensation washed over her.

"Ngh..." Fang Yang grunted. Even with the experience gained from multiple lives in dreamscapes, he found this sensation far too strange.

This feeling, this impact, came too suddenly—it was even far too intense.

Right then, the two Dharma Aspects blended like yin and yang, making their owners feel everything as if it were happening to their own bodies. There was no difference.

"Fang... Fang... Fang Yang..." Yu Zither Immortal's watery peach blossom eyes stared directly at Fang Yang, a hint of grievance in them.

Even though they had shared an honest, exposed experience not long ago...

...she had never imagined such a situation would happen again.

Moreover, what was happening now was simply too bizarre and terrifying.

Her personality was indeed a bit difficult, but that was mostly to protect herself.

At her core, she was pure and proud.

That was why she had thought she could use Fang Yang's power for her own gain.

But what was happening now felt no different from if she and Fang Yang were experiencing it themselves.

She even suspected, 'Did Fang Yang do this on purpose?!'