<h4>Chapter 1212 - Seclusion</h4>


    Lightning surged and arcs of electricity interwove.


    The explosive source power of the Grand Dao rumbled and boomed, violently shaking the dome of heaven.


    Lu Yan took out a beast skin treasure, which spread until it covered a hundred foot radius, obscuring and shielding both himself and Su Yi.


    asionally, lightning, fierce gales, and currents of the Grand Dao swept toward them, but the beast skin neutralized the damage.


    Along the way, Lu Yan introduced the Sea of Chaos.


    “This is a chaos source. During the catastrophe, the source power of numerous Laws was badly damaged. Otherwise, even a Cosmic Enlightenment Realm would face almost certain doom here.”


    Before long, the two of them arrived at a deste ind.


    The ind was only a few hundred feet across; it was essentially just a big rock. It was entirely barren, without so much as an inch of grass.


    “This ce is rtively safe. asionally, explosive powers of the Laws will appear, but it’s not enough to threaten your life.”


    “There are many such safe regions throughout the Sea of Chaos,” said Lu Yan. “In the past, those who became Servants of the Dao would cultivate in these safe ces and advance to the core region of the Sea of Chaos to defend that forbidden ground after bing World Kings.”


    Over the years, failed-trial takers were able to be Servants of the Dao so long as they received an Officiant’s approval. The spirit sparrow had told Su Yi that over a hundred experts had be Servants of the Dao.


    The vast majority of them started out as Emperors, but after bing Servants of the Dao, they cultivated in the Sea of Chaos day and night. Thus, most had already proved their Daos and be World Kings!


    However, only thirteen Servants of the Dao were still alive. The others had met their ends contending with the aura of that mysterious catastrophe.


    “Might you tell me about that forbidden ground?” asked Su Yi.


    “That ce still holds traces of the catastrophe even now. Even more terrifying is that a vicious weapon not of this era remains within those forbidden grounds. Even now, it’s still affecting and damaging the power of this chaos source,” Lu Yan said solemnly. “We watch over this ce primarily because we need to keep that vicious weapon suppressed at all times.”


    “Is that vicious weapon perhaps a war spear?” Su Yi asked suddenly.


    Lu Yan nodded, a bit stunned. “That’s right. That spear was left here by a terrifying existence called Qin Chongxu.”


    It was Qin Chongxu who’d crossed the River of Time tounch the catastrophe that devastated the Dark and Gold Star Realm.


    In the visions Luo Yao’s skeletal hand gave Su Yi, a spear swathed in immortal light had hovered before Qin Chongxu!


    “Even now, the spear’s power still hasn’t disappeared?” Su Yi couldn’t help but find this surprising.


    Lu Yan shook his head, his expression solemn. “Back then, Venerate Flooding Heavens said that the spear’s origins were terrifying beyond imagination, and that it was because of the spear that Qin Chongxu was able to unleash a catastrophe upon us!


    “Over the years, we’ve attempted to suppress itpletely, and to uncover the vicious weapon’s secrets, but we’ve yet to seed.”


    Here, Lu Yan’s expression turnedplicated. He said somberly, “On the contrary, over the years, numerous Servants of the Dao have lost their lives trying to suppress the spear...”


    “How far are we from the heart of the Sea of Chaos?” asked Su Yi.


    His curiosity was already piqued. He wanted to see that spear swathed in immortal qi and see if he could discern its origins and secrets.


    “About eight thousand miles away, and the path is dangerous. One misstep, and we could easily be reduced to dust,” said Lu Yan. “In the past, the old peacock was responsible for sending new Servants to the Dao to that forbidden ground, but now, he...”


    Here, Lu Yan couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.


    Su Yi subtly inclined his head. “I understand.”


    After chatting a while longer, something suddenly urred to Su Yi. “My twopanions received the qualifications to enter the path of trails as well. If possible, I hope you can lead them there.”


    Lu Yan froze, thenughed. “I know who you’re talking about. A trivial matter. Leave it to me! Still, I must make it clear that no matter who they are, they must act in ordance with the rules.”


    He promptly took out the Seed of the Azure, summoned the Heavensdeath Demon Empress and Meng Changyun, and told them what was going on.


    Both of them straightforwardly agreed to undergo trial, and both were full of eagerness.


    “If you fail, don’t make any decisions. Just wait in the secret origin grounds for me to return,” said Su Yi.


    He most certainly didn’t wish for the Heavensdeath Demon Empress to be a Servant of the Dao.


    Lu Yan smiled. “Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I’ll watch over them, and I won’t let them face any danger.”


    Before long, Lu Yan led the Heavensdeath Demon Empress and Meng Changyun away from the Sea of Chaos.


    Soon, only Su Yi remained on this deste ind.


    All around him, waves coursed through the sea manifested of the Laws. Chaos mists churned between heaven and ocean, a boundless, grand sight.


    Su Yi took out his wicker chair and sprawled outfortably.


    Although he and the hemp-d elder, Kong Shen, had only exchanged three strikes, his cultivation base was severely drained.


    The moment he rxed, exhaustion coursed through his entire body.


    “At my current strength, I might well be able to rely on the Laws of Profound Ruin to contend with a Oneness World King, but.... Killing him wouldn’t be easy.


    “But with the Dark and Gold Fortune Vine, I ought to be able to kill Enforcers like Jin Chi.”


    “Against a Cosmic Enlightenment World King like Kong Shen, if I go all out and use the Laws of Profound Ruin, the Dark and Gold Fortune Vine, and the Sword of the Nine Hells’ aura, I can at most injure my opponent...


    “Unless I fight with no regard for my life, I’d have no hope of actually beating them.”


    Su Yi thought back to his prior battle as he confirmed his current strength.


    Crossing cultivation boundaries to kill one’s enemies sounded simple enough, but in truth, it was harder than ascending the heavens.


    That was true for a single realm, let alonepletely different paths. Throughout the past and future, those capable of doing as Su Yi had done were absolutely as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.


    With Su Yi’s current foundations and cultivation base, he could easily cut down Heavenly Longevity Realm World Kings. That was already astonishing. Out amongst the stars, tens of thousands of years might pass without anyone aplishing such a feat!


    Fighting Oneness and Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings at his current cultivation was obviously a bit much. The disparity was far too enormous.


    He had to use a taboo Dao like Profound Ruin, a Divine Chaos Treasure like the Dark and Gold Fortune Vine, and his killer weapon, the Sword of the Nine Hells, to even put up a fight.


    Su Yi took out a jug of wine and drank in big gulps.


    The figure who’d appeared atop the River of Destiny had told him that the Laws of Profound Ruin weren’t all that impressive.


    But by now, how could Su Yi fail to understand? That illusory figure was obviously just being modest. Throughout the entire Eastern Profound Star Domain, there was almost certainly nothing else like the Dao of Profound Ruin!


    The mysteries of reincarnation were far from ordinary too.


    In terms of sheer profundity, they weren’t at all inferior to the Laws of Profound Ruin!


    “At the end of the day, I’ve just barely crossed the threshold of mastery of the Laws of Reincarnation. I have yet to truly master this Grand Dao.


    “That’s true for the mysteries of Profound Ruin, too.


    “Both Daos are taboo, and I had neither of them in my past lives. But that just makes it even clearer that in this lifetime, my path is starkly different from that of my past selves. And that’s enough.”


    Su Yi threw back his head, drained his jug of wine, then rose and got to work.


    <i>Whoosh~</i>


    He waved his sleeves, and several dozen divine materials whooshed into the air.


    He then spent close to half a day establishing a formation on the deste ind. The formation had three simultaneous functions: gathering spiritual energy, obscuring his presence, and defense.


    When the formation circted, both Su Yi and the ind beneath him seemed to disappear into thin air without a trace.


    Meanwhile, throughout the surrounding area, the chaos mists surged toward the ind, forming a whirlpool and pouring down.


    Within the formation, Su Yi sat cross-legged, his qi rumbling and booming. His tall, upright figure zed like a furnace as he swallowed up an unending stream of chaos energy.


    This was the purest, most ancient Dark and Gold Essence!


    Su Yi could prove his Dao and be a World King whenever he pleased, but in the end, he held back. He chose to cultivate quietly here in the Sea of Chaos. He’d take this time tob through the Daos of three lifetimes, temper his cultivation base, and settle his mind.


    After reincarnating and restarting his cultivation, he’d established firm foundations at every step. Even so, he’d gone from an ordinary mortal to an Imperial Apex Emperor in just three short years.


    He’d encountered numerous perils and setbacks along the way, but few true life-or-death trials or obstacles.


    That was because he had the knowledge of his past life and the Sword of the Nine Hells.


    Su Yi knew that if he wanted to surpass his past self and achieve greater heights in his swordsmanship, he couldn’t cling to the knowledge of his past lives.


    Nor could he get too dependent on the Sword of the Nine Hells!


    That was why he’d been iparably strict in his cultivation from the moment he regained his memories.


    As an ancient poem stated, “When your situation is advantageous, it seems as though heaven and earth themselves are on your side, but when fortune departs, even a hero struggles to retain their freedom.”


    External power was ultimately just that: external.


    He could only rely on what was truly his!


    It wasn’t exactly that he objected to or disdained external power, but that he recognized its limits. He needed to use external power without letting himself be dependent on it.


    If he was a monarch, then external power was his minister.


    As a monarch, how could he let his ministers overstep their bounds?


    On that day, Su Yi went into seclusion upon that barren ind.


    ......


    They said that in the wilderness, you lost all sense of the passage of time.


    Before long, half a year had passed.


    Somewhere in the secret origin grounds, a pce hovered above purple thunderclouds.


    “Fellow Daoist, I’ll have to trouble you to act as my dharma protector.” The Heavensdeath Demon Empress faced Lu Yan and inclined her head in greeting.


    She’d attempted the path of trials, only to fail at the third trial.


    Although she failed, she benefited considerably, and obtained a bit of good fortune.


    Ofte, she’d been in continuous seclusion in front of Lu Yan’s pce. She’d already seized firm hold of the opportunity she needed to prove her Dao.


    She’d originally nned to wait for Su Yi to return, then ask him to watch over her.


    But it had been half a year already, and there was no word from him. Moreover, she could no longer suppress her cultivation base. She had to break through as soon as possible.


    “Very well.” Lu Yan straightforwardly agreed. He smiled, “I can see it already. With your foundations and cultivation, sess is all but certain.


    “In this humble old man’s estimations, your Profound Unity Realm Foundations would dazzle any era you appeared in,” Meng Changyun said hurriedly. “Even out amongst the stars, you would be considered a rare talent. Once you prove your Dao and break through, your strength is sure to soar.”


    The Heavensdeath Demon Empress inclined her head. Without another word, her beautiful eyes focused on the distant dome of heaven.


    Tribtion clouds surged. All of creation was silent and still.


    Countless years of waiting, and countless years of torment and unease, her Tribtion of Heavenly Longevity had finally... arrived!


    That very day.


    The Heavensdeath Demon Empress proved her Dao and stepped onto the Path of Heaven’s Ascension, establishing her cultivation in the Heavenly Longevity Realm!


    Her foundations were firm, and her talent extraordinary. Even Lu Yan, a Cosmic Enlightenment Realm survivor of the lost ancient era, was impressed.