207: Daoist methods and Daoist mind

"As expected..." There was not much surprise in Lin Yuan's eyes. "The Feathering Realm is, after all, a stage of energy feathering and controlling a region of space-time. Origin Spells are born from Origin Laws, and their upper limit of power is ultimately restricted by the limit of the Law itself in interfering with matter and energy. Ten billion feathers of power is already the Peak of destructive power that a Spell in this Realm can reach."

He looked down at his hands, which contained the divine radiance of Chaos, feeling the terrifying great power that could easily tear through space and annihilate existences of the Myriad Dao Realm.

"Seventy-four units of power can destroy stars and shatter mountains, and can suppress experts of the Myriad Dao Realm... yet it cannot, through existing Spells, completely convert the 'quality' contained within into a higher level of 'destruction'." Lin Yuan's gaze seemed to penetrate layers of space, seeing the Realm above the Myriad Dao Realm. "To make power undergo a true qualitative change, to let every bit of great power leverage deeper Dao Laws and cause destruction far exceeding mere energy accumulation... only by advancing to the Myriad Dao Realm! Condensing the Dao Fruit and comprehending the true 'Dao Law'!"

Dao Law, that is the mark of a Myriad Dao Realm expert! It is a supreme offensive technique that uses one's own Dao Fruit as a Foundation to trigger, control, and even tamper with the underlying rules of the world! Its power is by no means comparable to a simple Origin Law energy impact.

Lin Yuan had originally wanted to rely on his newly surged combat power to explore the third outer layer of the Primordial Chaos Realm, but now he vaguely felt that his current combat power was likely not enough to go. Moreover, besides the Primordial Chaos Realm, thinking of the various Cultivation Holy Lands mentioned by the White-Robed Examiner before, those were also the greatest Treasure Troves of the Heaven-Grade Secret Realm, because the thousand-fold time flow of the Heaven-Grade Secret Realm did not affect the Primordial Chaos Realm! If Lin Yuan wanted to use this thousand-fold time flow within the Heaven-Grade Secret Realm to Cultivate, he would definitely have to go to these three major Cultivation Holy Lands for training!

The violent turbulence at the edge of the first layer of the Primordial Chaos Realm subsided behind him, and Lin Yuan's figure reappeared on the ancient, silent bronze plaza of the Heaven-Grade Secret Realm. He closed his eyes slightly, feeling the 7.4 billion feathers of powerful combat power surging within his body, his gaze sweeping across the golden data screen floating in front of him, and finally resting on the grayish, slowly pulsing [seed of martial dao] deep in his Sea of Consciousness, which had reached 10% incubation.

On the surface of the seed, a tiny crack quietly appeared, as if a piece of exquisite porcelain had been damaged by an invisible heavy pressure, transmitting a subtle palpitation and hunger. It was not a craving for energy, but a call for something more essential and pure.

"Battle... only the purest battle, a fight on the edge of life and death, can make up for the flaws in this Foundation and nurture a true Dao Heart of martial dao." Lin Yuan whispered, the realization originating from the Chaos Origin Scripture flowing through his heart. If the Dao Heart is not firm, even with heaven-reaching great power, it is like building a tower on sand, and there will eventually come a day when one is backlashed and assimilated by one's own Dao.

He looked up. Above the dome, in the giant hourglass phantom symbolizing the countdown of the era, the brilliant golden sand had only flowed by a negligible one-tenth. One year in the outside world, a thousand years in the Secret Realm; time in this Secret Realm was still abundant!

His fingertips swept across the Void Realm, bringing up detailed information about the three major Cultivation Holy Lands on the Primordial Virtual Network. The Sea of Laws is a pool where the Myriad Dao Laws are manifested, which can help people reach the core of the Laws and comprehend the true meaning of the Origin of Dao; the "Ten Thousand Battle Tower" contains the branded battle souls of ten thousand races, acting as a shura field for honing combat instincts and breaking through between life and death; the "Body Tempering Star Abyss" triggers the great power of stars and Chaos gale, which can temper an Indestructible Golden Body.

"Ten Thousand Battle Tower... branding the battle souls of ten thousand races, honing combat instincts, seeking Breakthroughs between life and death..." A flash of Chaos Qi appeared in Lin Yuan's eyes, his target locked. "The cracks in the seed of martial dao can only be healed by the most fervent battle blood! The Dao Heart must be forged amidst ten thousand battles!"

With his mind made up, the three pairs of wings behind him, flowing with Chaos starlight, suddenly spread open and gave a gentle flap. Hum! Space folded silently, and the next instant, he had torn through the sea of clouds in the Secret Realm and appeared before that towering black tower radiating an ancient aura of slaughter.

The tower's height was unknown, piercing straight into the dim sky of the Secret Realm. The dark red chains wrapped around the tower body slowly wiggled like living creatures, emitting terrifying Law fluctuations that imprisoned all extraordinary power. The tower gate was tightly shut, neither gold nor stone, and it was carved with reliefs of battle souls in various forms, snarling and roaring.

Just as Lin Yuan stepped onto the plaza covered in dark metal fragments in front of the tower, a sudden change occurred!

Boom—!

Nine huge cyan jade steps condensed out of thin air, falling from the sky and crashing heavily in front of Lin Yuan, forming a staircase leading to the tightly closed tower gate. Each step was ten zhang wide, and the surface was not smooth but covered with ancient battle scars like those from sword slashes and axe blows, along with dark brown dried bloodstains. A pressure so heavy it was suffocating descended instantly!

Rules manifested:

1. Mortal Body Forbidden Law: Those who step on the stairs will shed all worldly brilliance and return to a Mortal body! Wings dissipate, all Laws fall silent, the chaos green lotus hides deep in the Sea of Consciousness, and the majestic 7.4 billion feathers of great power are completely locked away as if by an invisible giant sluice gate! Lin Yuan instantly felt his body become incomparably heavy and fragile, and the long-lost fatigue and muscle soreness belonging to a Mortal clearly came over him. He looked down at his own "ordinary" hands, with only his thousand-times-tempered combat instincts and iron-tough will remaining in his body.

2. Heart Demon Purgatory: Every step taken, an illusion is born! The enemies slain will manifest as Heart Demons, holding blades to claim one's life! They cannot be defeated by force, only by the heart!

Lin Yuan's eyes had no fluctuations at all, only an icy Battle Intent. "A Mortal body? Just what I wanted! A Heart Demon? I'll just slash it away!" Without hesitation, he stepped onto the first stair!

Hum! Light and shadow twisted. The stair was not empty; a phantom wearing tattered star battle armor with a twisted, blurred face held a broken sword, carrying bone-deep resentment and the aura of Yuan, roaring as it pounced! It was precisely the Heart Demon of "Yuan," who had been implanted with the Soul Devouring Seal by Lin Yuan and had fled in panic in the abyss!

"Die!" The Heart Demon Yuan held the broken sword and thrust it straight at Lin Yuan's throat with a shrill whistling sound, its speed and power far exceeding the limits of a Mortal!

Lin Yuan did not retreat but advanced! His body slid half a step to the side at the most critical moment, narrowly avoiding the sword edge. Without energy support, his pure physical reaction speed was squeezed to the limit! His left hand shot out like lightning, his five fingers like hooks, fiercely gripping the Heart Demon's sword-wielding wrist, making the bones creak! At the same time, his right knee smashed upward fiercely like a siege hammer!

Bang!

A dull impact sound rang out. Heart Demon Yuan's abdomen was heavily struck, and its illusory body twisted. A fierce look flashed in Lin Yuan's eyes. Taking advantage of its instability from the injury, he turned his right hand into a blade, gathered all his strength, and with a resolute ruthlessness, fiercely chopped at the side of the Heart Demon's neck!

Crack!

A clear sound of bone cracking rang out in the illusion. Heart Demon Yuan's head tilted at an eerie angle, and its figure dissipated into pieces like broken glass. First stair, passed!

Lin Yuan panted, feeling the fatigue and soreness of his Mortal body after intense exercise, but his eyes became even sharper. He did not stop, continuing upward.