Chapter 2683: Doubt

The power of the Fruit of Time was undeniably immense, yet Lu Ye felt a strange mix of emotions. Not long ago, while cultivating the Spatial Dao Seed, he had mused about how wonderful it would be if he ever had the chance to cultivate the power of Time. But it was merely a thought; he could cultivate the Spatial Dao Seed because he had received the Phoenix Essence Blood, which granted him the status of an external Phoenix Clan member. The Dragon Clan, however, possessed no similar secret techniques. Yet, unexpectedly, his wish came true today, and in such a manner. He didn't even need to cultivate it himself; the previous Dragon Sovereigns' attainments in the Way of Time were all unfathomably profound, and now, thanks to the Fruit of Time, they had all become a source of reserve power for him. This was truly an enormous surprise.

As the Fruit of Time matured, the information flooding into his mind wasn't limited to just its power; in fact, details about the Fruit of Time were secondary. The true focus was what came next: a secret art called the Small World Technique, one that only he could cultivate. The prerequisite for mastering this technique was the simultaneous possession of both the power of Time and the power of Space.

Lu Ye vaguely felt that an invisible hand was orchestrating everything behind the scenes, having planned it all countless millennia ago, waiting for his arrival today to bring this grand scheme to fruition. His mind was deeply shaken. Undoubtedly, this was the work of the Dragon and Phoenix ancestors. But what incredible, world-shaking divine ability did this ancestor possess to foresee things to such an extent? How did they know that a Phoenix Clan descendant, an external member, would create the Spatial Dao Seed technique? And how did they know that he would become an external Phoenix Clan member and obtain this cultivation method? In the depths of the unknown, everything seemed predetermined.

Lu Ye finally understood why Dragon Sovereign knew nothing about the Talent Tree within the forbidden zone: some things were not meant to be spoken aloud, nor even written down. They could only be passed down through this method, in a sanctuary like the Ancestral Abyss. And only the inheritor of the Dao Tree who reached this place could receive the legacy.

"Dragon Sovereign," Lu Ye slowly opened his eyes. With most of the jumbled information in his mind processed, he now had more questions. "This disciple has something to ask."

Dragon Sovereign responded gently, "Speak."

Lu Ye said, "Within the Star Abyss, wherever the Star Abyss's aura exists, there are tendrils of that will. The more we cultivators train, the more severe the traces of erosion become. It can be said that the higher one's talent and the stronger one's power, the more this holds true. Yet, that will is clearly muddled and unintelligent. What exactly does it intend?"

Dragon Sovereign chuckled at his words. "Who knows? The Dragon and Phoenix clans have actually studied this for countless years but have never grasped its essence. They've only ever reached one conclusion."

"What is it?"

"Some things might simply be inherently 'bad seeds' from birth," Dragon Sovereign said slowly. "Or perhaps, it has no concept of good or bad; this is simply its nature."

Lu Ye frowned. "If that's the case, then once it truly gains sentience, wouldn't the entire Star Abyss fall under its control?"

Dragon Sovereign sighed. "Indeed. Therefore, at this stage, our cultivation methods as cultivators have significant problems. Take the Dao Harmonization state, for example. After harmonizing with the Dao, one can borrow power and greatly increase their strength. But if one doesn't comply with that will's intent, it can easily prevent the cultivator from borrowing any external power. If such a situation were to occur during a life-or-death battle, wouldn't that be disastrous?"

Phoenix Empress also looked melancholic. "But to grow stronger, we must constantly cultivate, and cultivation leads to erosion."

Dragon Sovereign continued, "Not to mention us cultivators, even the cosmic treasures scattered throughout the Star Abyss cannot escape this fate. It's just that all treasures are condensations of the universe's essence, so their resistance is much stronger than our flesh-and-blood bodies."

"Treasures are also being eroded!" Lu Ye was startled.

"This is no secret. Many powerful figures in the Inner Realm have noticed, but there's no solution."

Lu Ye's expression grew serious. This long cultivation path felt like a bottomless abyss; the stronger one became, the more darkness they could perceive.

"Is there nothing in this world that can resist that will?" he asked.

Dragon Sovereign slowly shook his head.

Phoenix Empress, however, spoke up, "Legend has it that a complete Dao Harmonization Orb has the qualification to contend with that will for control over the Star Abyss's aura."

Lu Ye's expression shifted. "A complete Dao Harmonization Orb."

Phoenix Empress nodded. "It is the most powerful supreme treasure in the universe. Though it possesses no offensive power, it was the very first supreme treasure born in the universe, a manifestation of a wisp of the universe's origin."

Lu Ye couldn't help but fall into thought. As early as when he learned about the existence of the Harmonization Realm, he had heard Yuan Xi mention the complete Dao Harmonization Orb. However, for some unknown reason, this supreme treasure had shattered, leading to the current complex situation where various large and small Harmonization Cities dotted the Inner Realm. Many more fragments of the Dao Harmonization Orb lay hidden in the unknown, awaiting discovery by those destined to find them. Although the Dao Harmonization Orb was shattered, the Harmonization Realm itself had always persisted, remaining one of the few pure lands in the entire Inner Realm.

Dragon Sovereign said, "Some ancient mighty figures conjecture that the will of the Dao Harmonization Orb detected that erosion and therefore shattered itself willingly, choosing to be a broken jade rather than a complete tile. If it hadn't shattered, it would eventually have been eroded and enslaved. By shattering itself, it cut off that possibility."

Lu Ye couldn't help but recall the anomaly he encountered the first time he left the Harmonization Realm. In that pristine white environment, after a hollow voice sounded, something seemed to enter his body. From then on, he gained the ability to control fragments of the Dao Harmonization Orb. He had never known what it truly was, but because he hadn't noticed anything amiss over the years and had repeatedly benefited from it, he hadn't delved deeper.

What if that was the will of the Dao Harmonization Orb? It fit! It was precisely because the will of the Dao Harmonization Orb had attached itself to him that he possessed the unique means, unlike others, to intercept fragments of the Dao Harmonization Orb. Lu Ye distinctly remembered that voice saying something, as if it had been waiting for him for a very long time... Why him? It could only be the Talent Tree! Compared to other cultivators who entered and exited the Harmonization Realm, he was as clean as a blank slate. Although he had disguised himself, how could that hide him from the will of the Dao Harmonization Orb? It sensed him and immediately possessed him.

Seeing Lu Ye's contemplative expression, Dragon Sovereign clearly misunderstood and chuckled wryly. "Don't think too much about it. Indeed, some have thought that if all the fragments of the Dao Harmonization Orb in this world were gathered and its full power restored, perhaps one could contend with that will for control over the Star Abyss's aura. But that's utterly unrealistic."

Lu Ye nodded. This idea was indeed unrealistic. To restore the complete power of the Dao Harmonization Orb, one would have to gather all the Dao Harmonization Orbs from every Harmonization City in the world. Setting aside whether Harmonization Cities below the 'Universe' level would cooperate, even the Ten Great Harmonization Cities couldn't possibly work together. Would Dragon City and Phoenix Nest be willing to give up their Dao Harmonization Orbs? It was an impossible feat. Furthermore, even if, by some miracle, it were achieved, the complete Dao Harmonization Orb had shattered itself out of fear of that erosion back then. What would be the point of piecing it back together now?

Wait! Lu Ye suddenly realized that if one day the Dao Harmonization Orb truly became whole again, it might be meaningless to others, but not to him. His Talent Tree could incinerate that erosion, so the will of the Dao Harmonization Orb would no longer have to worry about repeating its past mistakes. The Small World Technique! No wonder the Small World Technique required the Dao Harmonization Orb; this was the reason.

Numerous questions were answered, yet more questions arose as a result. Yet, Lu Ye couldn't ask too many detailed questions. Some things truly couldn't be spoken aloud, even in this pure land untouched by the will's tendrils. But Dragon Sovereign, Phoenix Empress, and Zhu Yin would eventually leave this place. Once spoken aloud, there was a risk of exposure, and if exposed, Lu Ye might have no place to hide in the entire Inner Realm.

The repair of the forbidden zone continued. He had originally wanted to consult Dragon Sovereign about the Way of Time. After all, he could now use the Fruit of Time as a medium to borrow the power of previous Dragon Sovereigns without even needing to cultivate. It was just a pity that he possessed this immense power in the Way of Time but didn't know how to wield it. Consulting Dragon Sovereign was undoubtedly the best method. Yet, he didn't know how to bring it up. The Way of Time had always been exclusive to the Dragon Clan and Dragon Descendants. He could only secretly observe when Dragon Sovereign acted, which proved to be quite beneficial.

Another ten years passed. As the last weak pattern in the forbidden zone was strengthened, Dragon Sovereign looked delighted. "It's done!" Prior to this, he and Phoenix Empress had inspected the entire Ancestral Abyss forbidden zone no less than twenty times, confirming there were no omissions. This was indeed the last weak point. As Lu Ye withdrew his power, the roars of the many maddened dragons within the forbidden zone suddenly quieted significantly. The light that had continuously permeated the entire Ancestral Abyss forbidden zone slowly receded, and the vast space once again plunged into darkness. With this repair, the Ancestral Abyss forbidden zone would not encounter any major problems for the next several hundred thousand years.

The surrounding space shifted; it was Phoenix Empress activating her power. By the time Lu Ye regained his senses, he had arrived at a somewhat familiar place. He took a quick look and realized it was the lowest level of the Tower of Time, where he had been before. He didn't recognize it immediately, simply because he had spent fifty years in the Ancestral Abyss, making his memories of this place somewhat hazy.

"Lu Ye, on behalf of the Dragon Clan, I thank you!"

As Lu Ye looked around, Dragon Sovereign suddenly adopted a solemn expression and bowed respectfully. Lu Ye quickly returned the bow. "You two are too kind. This disciple merely did what he could; he is unworthy of such a grand gesture."

Dragon Sovereign straightened up and shook his head slightly. "For you, it was within your capabilities, but for our clan, it was a matter of life and death. You understand the situation in the Ancestral Abyss; if the forbidden zone were to fail one day and the many Dragon Sovereigns surged out, Dragon City would be in peril. Thanks to you, our clan will be spared this calamity on a future day."

Phoenix Empress said leisurely from the side, "If you truly want to thank him, give him some actual benefits. What good are mere words?" She had originally intended to thank him as well, given that the Dragon and Phoenix clans were like one family. But then she reconsidered: this young man was an external member of the Phoenix Clan, half a clansman. As the clan leader, what was there to thank him for? Was he even worthy of it?