Breakthrough

"I used too much force. Aside from a few remnants of the Void-Banning Pagoda, that pinnacle Dao artifact bound by the Ten Hells Dragon-Imprisoning Formation, nothing else was left behind," Dao Lord Penglai said. "As long as the Spirit Rhyme Profound Crystal is still usable, that's enough," Yaoguang said, glancing at the chaotic void energy churning through this stretch of space. Such power... It was truly terrifying to the extreme. Compared to that of a true immortal, it was hardly inferior. "This time, to slay Dao Lord Wujin, I practically exhausted all my hidden trump cards. That meticulously refined Spark of Annihilation was expended in a single stroke. Now that I have no such lethal move available for the upcoming Dao Contention, my deterrent power will likely drop considerably. So you must seize every moment and achieve Dao Integration as soon as possible. In the future, you'll have to craft at least one semi-immortal artifact for me to soothe my disappointment," Dao Lord Penglai said with a smile. Yaoguang nodded. Dao Lord Wujin possessed the Void Origin as a lifesaving ace. If Dao Lord Penglai had not acted decisively and unleashed the Flames of Dao Extinction using her Spark of Annihilation, that Dao Lord might truly have escaped unscathed. After all, at that moment, even Yaoguang had been completely out of options and had internally resigned himself to the ambush ending in failure. And once this ambush failed, the world would learn of his ability to lay down rank-fifteen formations. After that, hoping to lure another Void Dao Lord into a trap would be nothing more than a pipe dream. If he wanted to attempt Dao Integration later, he would likely have to wait until the era of Dao Contention arrived, taking advantage of a Void Dao Lord's fall to advance to the Dao Integration realm. Yet if that happened, he might not have enough time to refine the pinnacle Dao artifacts on his person into semi-immortal artifacts, or even true immortal artifacts. And without the power of semi-immortal artifacts to aid him... Facing the Void Dao track, which was the most fiercely contested of all, his relatively shallow foundation might not secure him a spot to enter the Gate of the Immortal Realm. If things went poorly, he could be delayed by another ten thousand years. Of course, he still had the option of taking a gamble on that Gate of the Immortal Realm several billion light-years away. However, he knew nothing of the specific situation over there. If that gate had an even longer opening cycle or fiercer competition than this one, wouldn't the losses far outweigh the gains? Therefore, Dao Lord Penglai's decisive execution of Wujin had truly done him a tremendous favor. "Thank you. Once I achieve Dao Integration, the first thing I will do is find a way to craft a semi-immortal artifact for you," Yaoguang said. "Then I shall look forward to it with great anticipation." Dao Lord Penglai smiled faintly. "When do you plan to seek your opportunity for Dao Integration?" "My opportunity for Dao Integration?" Yaoguang replied, a smile playing across his lips as well. "Right now." "Now?" Dao Lord Penglai froze slightly. Then she asked in bewilderment, "Weren't you going to refine a semi-immortal artifact first to sublimate your spirit before attempting Dao Integration? Why..." "It is enough," Yaoguang said. "In this battle, I clashed with Dao Lord Wujin for nearly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea without falling into a disadvantage. At this moment, my mental and spiritual state is better than it has ever been. Therefore, I am confident I can attempt the Dao Integration realm immediately." He looked at Dao Lord Penglai. "This optimal state is fleeting. I must trouble you, Dao Lord, to protect my path." "Clashing with Dao Lord Wujin..." Dao Lord Penglai looked at Yaoguang. With her discernment, she could naturally tell that Yaoguang had not carried the Golden Book of the Grand Dao! Without relying on a pinnacle semi-immortal artifact like the Golden Book of the Grand Dao, he had still managed to trade blows with a Dao Lord for nearly the time it took to drink a cup of tea... Such capability and talent were rare in all the world. And for an extraordinary genius like him... Whatever he wished to do, ordinary people like them simply had to listen and comply. Dao Lord Penglai smiled faintly. "Very well, I shall protect your path!" With a wave of her sleeve, the void surrounding Yaoguang was swiftly suffused with the power of the Great Dao of Origin. Yaoguang also released Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li, whom he had protected within his grotto-heaven. "Supreme Elders, as you have witnessed, I just clashed with a Dao Lord without yielding ground. Right now, my state of mind is at its absolute peak, and I refuse to let this opportunity slip by. I am about to attempt the Dao Integration realm immediately. I must trouble the two of you to welcome Dao Lord Juntian in my stead. In addition, please ask Dao Lord Juntian on my behalf to protect my path!" With that, without giving the two Supreme Elders a chance to reply, he flicked his sleeve. A surge of void energy whisked both of them and the ceremonial reception battleship ten thousand li away in an instant. Immediately afterward, Yaoguang's battered Ten Hells Dragon-Imprisoning Formation rose once more. As it enveloped his figure, it resonated and harmonized with Dao Lord Penglai's Great Dao of Origin. A profound, enigmatic power of Dao rhyme erupted from his body. "Today, I shall achieve Dao Integration on the spot!" *** In the distance, Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li, having been sent ten thousand li away, felt their heads spinning. Their thoughts could hardly keep up. One moment ago, they were still guessing whether their sect master was using himself as bait, coordinating with Dao Lord Penglai to lure a Void Dao Lord to the slaughter in order to lower the risks of his mortal tribulation. The next moment... Their suspicions had been proven true. Dao Lord Penglai had appeared out of nowhere and trapped Dao Lord Wujin on the spot. Even though Dao Lord Wujin had unleashed the Void Origin, a supreme treasure painstakingly refined over tens of thousands of years, he was still obliterated by Dao Lord Penglai's Flames of Dao Extinction. A commotion of that magnitude... It had unquestionably shaken the entirety of Beihai Star. Everyone would be stunned by the consecutive deaths of two Void Dao Lords in such a short span of time. Furthermore, the demise of these two Void Dao Lords would intimidate all remaining Void Dao Lords, making them dare not act recklessly against Yaoguang. Yet before the two Supreme Elders could recover from the shock of this audacious event, Sect Master Yaoguang... Was about to undergo Dao Integration?! Dao Lord Wujin had just died, and he was proceeding straight to Dao Integration?! This... This was Dao Integration! The most important step in any cultivator's long existence! Bar none! At a monumental crossroads determining whether one could truly leap across the dragon gate, shouldn't one spend several decades or even a century adjusting one's state to the pinnacle and making every preparation beforehand...? Could someone really be so casual about it? What felt even more unbelievable... Before Zhen Xuanyuan, Gu Li, and the others had steered their battleship even a hundred thousand li away, Zhen Xuanyuan, being a Void Shattering cultivator walking the path of the void, keenly sensed something. "This is..." He faintly perceived ripples undulating through the Grand Dao of the Void. Within these ripples, there seemed to be a joyful emotion, welcoming the arrival and joining of a magnificent presence. It was so pronounced that every cultivator walking the path of the void could feel their own power circulating with far greater agility and vigor than before. "It has begun?! This... it has already begun?!" Zhen Xuanyuan's face was filled with utter disbelief. Fast! It was simply too fast! A few breaths ago he decided to attempt Dao Integration, and a few breaths later, he had already entered the state of Dao Integration?! He was not the only one. *** Beyond Beihai Star, aboard the battleship that had just completed a void traversal, Dao Lord Taiwei, Dao Lord Juntian, Dao Lord Danding, and Dao Lord Qingya rapidly sensed something. They exchanged glances, shock written across their faces. "This is..." "Dao Integration! A Void Shatterer of the Void Dao is undergoing Dao Integration!" Down below, many True Monarchs walking the path of the void could not help but cry out in alarm. While other Void Shatterers could hardly perceive it, every single Void Shatterer on the path of the void felt it without exception. It was said that Dao Lords' sensitivity to this phenomenon even transcended distance. No matter how far the cultivator attempting Dao Integration hid, a Dao Lord of the Void Dao could pinpoint their exact location. What followed next was the mortal tribulation feared most by all who sought Dao Integration: any Dao Lord of the same path, upon witnessing another Void Shatterer attempting to ascend to Dao Lord, would strike to kill them. On one hand, this seemed to be an ancient convention handed down through generations. On the other hand... It directly involved tangible interests in the Dao Contention. Instantly, everyone's gaze turned toward Dao Lord Taiwei, the Dao Lord of the Void Dao among them. "First ascertain who is undergoing Dao Integration and who their Dao protector is before making a decision," Dao Lord Taiwei said. Dao Lord Juntian nodded as well. Although the person undergoing Dao Integration was not of the Path of Truth, the event was taking place right above the Heavenly Dao Sect, so he naturally had to intervene. At this moment, sensing something, he immediately added, "People from my sect have arrived. Since this person is undergoing Dao Integration directly above the Heavenly Dao Sect, my sect members must know something about it. I will summon them over to ask." "Very well," Dao Lord Taiwei nodded slightly. "I too would like to know what young talents have emerged in the Void Dao of our Beihai Star in recent years." Dao Integration was never a simple matter. Depending on the cultivator's strength, the process of Dao assimilation could last for as long as a century. Therefore, this Void Dao Lord was unconcerned by a brief delay. Soon, the battleship carrying Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li pulled up before the one led by Dao Lord Taiwei. Before the two Supreme Elders of the Heavenly Dao Sect could even deploy their ceremonial guard, True Monarch Nichang's divine sense reached them: "I am Nichang. Elders, please enter the battleship at once. My master and several Dao Lords have questions for you." "True Monarch Nichang!" Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li were naturally well acquainted with her illustrious reputation. Her talent was said to surpass even that of True Monarch Jinghong. This was evident from the fact that Dao Lord Juntian had kept her by his side during his travels. He was clearly nurturing her as the next Dao Lord of the Heavenly Dao Sect. Daring not show the slightest negligence toward her summons, the two ordered the remaining personnel to wait aboard their vessel before descending at top speed onto the battleship hosting several Dao Lords. Guided by True Monarch Nichang, they quickly reached the interior. Upon seeing the towering presence of five full Dao Lords inside, Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li cast aside every ounce of arrogance befitting Supreme Elders of the Heavenly Dao Sect. They immediately bowed with profound reverence. "Greetings, Dao Lord! Greetings, Dao Lord Taiwei, Dao Lord Danding..." "Enough, no need for formalities." Dao Lord Taiwei waved her hand, glancing at Dao Lord Juntian at the same time. When dealing with members of the Heavenly Dao Sect, even though this matter concerned her as a Dao Lord of the Void Dao, she could not comfortably overstep her bounds. Naturally, Dao Lord Juntian was willing to give face to this Dao Lord from the Sanqing Sacred Hall. He said at once, "Dao Lord, you may question them directly." Turning back to Zhen Xuanyuan and Gu Li, he added, "I assume you already understand why Dao Lord Taiwei has summoned you. You must answer her inquiries truthfully." Zhen Xuanyuan started, quickly realizing the matter at hand. "Does the Dao Lord wish to inquire about the identity of the one undergoing Dao Integration?" "Indeed. While not all Dao Lords of Beihai Star have returned yet, there are likely ten or twenty present." Dao Lord Taiwei nodded slightly and cast a glance toward Beihai Star. "I am very curious to know: which young talent of the Void Dao possesses the audacity to undergo Dao Integration right above Beihai Star? And which Dao Lord has the confidence to serve as this person's Dao protector?"