A Place in Line

"Whew!" It took Yaoguang a full three days to digest the wealth of information regarding the hierarchy of the Immortal Realm. Looking at the progress of 81/10,000, not a trace of ease appeared on his face. "It isn't far from one percent. And one percent is equivalent to stepping into the realm of an Immortal Venerable..." Between the lines, this knowledge inevitably touched upon records of the Immortal Realm. Piecing together those snippets along with the Mystic Origin Creation Technique from the Creation Group, he understood that beings born in the Immortal Realm practically began with Foundation Establishment cultivation at birth. Upon reaching adulthood, they could generally form a core. Those with robust constitutions could ignite their heartfire, attaining the Heavenly Fire realm. Above that lay the Golden Core realm and the Void Refining realm. Becoming a Dao Lord was the lifelong pursuit of everyone there. As for immortals, in the eyes of the Immortal Realm's ordinary inhabitants, they were truly mighty figures who could decide the life and death of hundreds of millions across an entire domain. An ordinary being of the Immortal Realm might never encounter a true immortal in their entire life. As for an Immortal Venerable... That was far beyond the comprehension of ordinary denizens of the Immortal Realm. Yaoguang's current realm progress was close to that of an Immortal Venerable. In theory, breaking through to mere Dao Integration ought to be effortless. Yet he could not bypass the underlying reality... "Dao Integration... depends on waiting in line." Yaoguang was at a loss for words. As long as no "vacancy" opened up within the Grand Dao principles of the Void, no matter how high one's comprehension reached, success was by no means guaranteed. For a cultivator, "Dao Integration" was essentially finding an open slot within the Grand Dao of the Void and inserting oneself into it. If there were no vacancy at all, the cultivator could only sink endlessly into the Grand Dao of the Void until completely consumed by Dao assimilation. Once that process began, no prior depth of understanding of the Grand Dao of the Void could reverse it. "The Immortal Realm!" Yaoguang muttered the words under his breath. With a trace of reluctance, he sent out a command. "Have Peak Master Yue Kuhai bring all records of Dao Lords achieving the Dao to see me." "Understood." Tang Fenghua, who had been waiting outside Tianqi Valley, gave his acknowledgment. Before long, the former head of the Dao Branch appeared outside the valley. "Sect Master." Seeing Yaoguang already waiting for him in the reception area at the valley entrance, Yue Kuhai hurried forward and bowed, his expression stiff and uneasy. After all, he had previously been handpicked by Zong Wenxian to lead the Dao Branch. As a veteran figure from the previous sect master's tenure, facing Yaoguang, the new sect master, naturally made him apprehensive. "Did you bring the records?" Yaoguang asked. "I did." Yue Kuhai hastily produced dozens of jade talismans. "Our Heavenly Dao Sect was founded by Dao Sovereign Hongmeng, making it one of the oldest lineages on Beihai Star, and our heritage has never been broken. The information gathered over the ages is remarkably detailed. Accumulated across all these years, there are one thousand and ninety-six records of Dao Lords achieving Dao Integration. These records have been categorized according to the opening cycles of the Gate of the Immortal Realm." Yaoguang picked up the jade talismans and examined them one by one. The more he read, the closer his suspicion came to being confirmed. And his expression... Grew increasingly grim. Watching this, Yue Kuhai trembled with apprehension, terrified that this new sect master intended to settle old scores by sending him to the front lines against the Shadow Moon Sect to dispose of him by another's hand. This torment dragged on for an entire day. Finally... Yaoguang set down the last jade talisman. He glanced at the visibly anxious Yue Kuhai and waved a hand. "You may go." "This subordinate takes his leave." Yue Kuhai let out a breath of immense relief. He departed swiftly. Once he was gone, Yaoguang's gaze returned to the jade talismans. "One thousand and ninety-six records of attaining the Dao preserved in the Heavenly Dao Sect's history... And among them, more than seventy percent of the Dao Lords achieved it shortly after a Dao Contention concluded—or even in the midst of it." Yaoguang murmured to himself. In this moment, he finally understood why the Void Shattering experts standing at the pinnacle of Beihai Star refused to hide away in the cosmos for several centuries or a millennium when a Dao Contention arrived, even knowing Beihai Star would turn into a terrifying battlefield. Because for many at the Void Shattering realm, the Dao Contention was danger, but it was also opportunity. However, the opportunity they spoke of was not the one he had envisioned. During a Dao Contention, Void Shattering cultivators had far more chances to witness Dao Lords in action and perceive the Dao rhymes radiating from them. They stood an even greater chance of observing life-and-death battles between Dao Lords, thereby touching upon the domain of Dao Lords on a much deeper level. Moreover, that perilous, life-threatening environment could hone their mental states and sharpen their minds. Not to mention that when a Dao Lord fell, they often left behind copious treasures and legacies, which would become the foundation for a cultivator to soar into the heavens. Wealth was sought amidst danger! Such was the conviction of these Void Shattering experts. Furthermore, those who truly dared to remain during a Dao Contention were almost all individuals of exceptional resolve and conviction. Their intrinsic odds of breakthrough were already far higher than those of cultivators who fled Beihai Star under pressure. Under such circumstances, every Dao Contention and its immediate aftermath brought about a peak period of Void Shattering cultivators advancing to Dao Integration, completely reshuffling the power dynamics of Beihai Star within a mere millennium. Everything... made perfect sense. No one ever suspected that it was simply because so many Dao Integration experts fell during the Dao Contention, vacating numerous slots and making breakthroughs far easier during that period. "A vacancy!" Yaoguang spoke the word aloud, his thoughts drifting involuntarily to the recently fallen Dao Lord Yuanxu. "Dao Lord Yuanxu fell... That should leave one open slot for a Dao Lord in the Dao of the Void... but..." Yaoguang pondered for a moment before ultimately deciding to stick to his original path. He closed his eyes. His comprehension of the Dao of the Void, standing at 81/10,000, flowed continuously through his mind. An insight approaching the level of an Immortal Venerable brought the countless shifts of the Grand Dao of the Void into crystal clarity. Far from being comparable to ordinary Dao Lords, it left the vast majority of immortals far behind. Relying on this comprehension, even if he merely leveraged the phantom power of the Grand Dao through a pinnacle Dao artifact, he could achieve maximal effect with minimal effort. What was more... He walked the path of the Human Immortal and was crafting pinnacle Dao artifacts infused with immortal-grade materials. Relying on himself alone, he might not be entirely incapable of clashing with a Dao Lord. Of course, the chasm between a Dao Lord and a Void Shattering cultivator was like an insurmountable abyss; even at this stage, it was still impossible for him to defeat a true Dao Lord head-on. Yet if he were reinforced by a rank-fifteen formation... Yaoguang's eyes snapped open, a fierce glint mingling with resolute determination. "I will proceed according to my original plan!" Yaoguang declared in a low voice, "Dao Integration invites a mortal tribulation. When I attempt it, a Dao Lord of the Void will inevitably come to obstruct me. When that happens... I shall slay them, and seize the vacancy that opens in the Dao of the Void to break through into the Dao Integration realm in one fell swoop!" With that, Yaoguang settled his resolve. In truth, that 81/10,000 progress also contained unorthodox paths to achieving the Dao. However, those unconventional methods demanded an extreme, obsessive standard where "craft bordered on the Dao." A cultivator had to pour their entire mind and soul into the specific "Dao" they pursued. To such people, everything in the mortal world—including their own lives—did not amount to one ten-thousandth of the path they sought. If given the chance to die for the Dao in their hearts, far from feeling sorrow or dread, they would be filled with boundless joy and ecstasy. Anchored in that conviction, they would turn the impossible into reality, surpassing their limits and sublimating themselves. As for Yaoguang... His Formation, Artifact Crafting, and Alchemy branches had all reached rank sixteen at 0% progress. But to claim he could dedicate his entire heart and soul to those paths, even laying down his life for them, was sheer nonsense. After all, his original intention in cultivating was simply to live better and achieve greater security. How could he genuinely throw away his life for an abstract "Dao"? Without dedicating his entire being—life included—he naturally could not seize that moment of transcending limits to sublimate himself and smoothly attain the Dao through an unorthodox craft. "The greatest virtue is self-knowledge: knowing who you are and doing what matches your capabilities. Since I lack that transcendent detachment and conviction, I will advance step by step, following the plan I set." Yaoguang's mind cleared. He acknowledged his shortcomings. Then, turning his gaze toward the Human Emperor Sword and the Endless Tower, he immersed himself in work once more. After spending several days refining these Dao artifacts, he received another transmission. Controlling the Twelve Divine Demons Sky-Sealing Formation, he parted the barrier, and soon, Dao Lord Penglai appeared within Tianqi Valley. "You raised this rank-fifteen formation yourself?" Dao Lord Penglai asked. "I did." "Impressive. With this formation guarding the place, even I couldn't slip into the Heavenly Dao Sect undetected without notifying you first," Dao Lord Penglai said with a smile. "You overpraise me, Dao Lord." Yaoguang then asked, "What of Demon Venerable Black Moon and Demon Saint Yulin...?" "They fled." Dao Lord Penglai let out a soft huff. "One day, I will march into the Nine Demon Immortal Lineages and slay that Demon Saint right before the eyes of the other demon Dao Integration experts." Having said that, her gaze shifted to the two pinnacle Dao artifacts Yaoguang was forging. Seeing that the Human Emperor Sword had already begun to take shape, she could not hide her pleasant surprise. "So fast?" "I was just about to contact you. I will need your strength to complete the final stage of refining," Yaoguang said with a nod. "I truly underestimated your mastery of artifact refinement." Looking at the Endless Tower being forged alongside it, Dao Lord Penglai remarked, "The title of Beihai Star's foremost Artifact Saint undoubtedly belongs to you." "You flatter me." Yaoguang wasted no more time. "Without further ado, let us begin." "Very well." *** While Yaoguang and Dao Lord Penglai joined forces to forge the two pinnacle Dao artifacts, the news of Dao Lord Yuanxu's fall at the Heavenly Dao Sect spread in all directions like a tempest. As word spread, many gradually came to understand the causes and consequences of that great battle. A clash between Dao Lords caused far too great a commotion. On Beihai Star, keeping such a matter hidden was entirely out of the question. It was also through this battle—and through the fall of a Dao Lord—that Dao Lord Penglai stepped onto the public stage, declaring to the world that she was Yaoguang's new Dao protector. Yet not many were surprised by this. Ever since Yaoguang attained the Void Piercing realm, his connection to the Penglai Immortal Sect had been ambiguous. Decades ago, rumors had already circulated that the mysterious Artifact Saint behind him intended to help Dao Lord Penglai attempt to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact. For this Dao Lord to step forward as the protector of Yaoguang, a genius of the Void... It made complete sense. What truly astounded people was the death of Dao Lord Yuanxu himself. The demise of this Dao Lord undoubtedly heralded a clear signal. Beihai Star's ten-thousand-year Dao Contention... Was about to begin.