Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

"Merge the soul with the dao, sacrifice dao for connection, establish union and refine the soul!" This was the art, but this art could grow and develop, becoming close to a path of cultivation as a path can get without being defined by heavenly laws.

"So...that’s why the same dao and soul must be created, but this...this is all theory!" Yan Zaizen was certain this was a theorized art, unfinished and untested. It was as Yri said, no one had been able to establish two daos of the same. Considering she belonged to a force named Indomitable Dao Palace, it may not be an absolute certainty, but it must be an extreme rarity to the point a force that could produce Yri had no record of it.

"..." The message remained silent, staring blankly ahead as if awaiting something. It was a while before Yan Zaizen broke free from his thoughts. When he observed the blank avatar of the hazy female remain there, he scanned around himself and his expression darkened.

"How ruthless!" He coldly spat. This Yri obviously intended to prevent him from leaving, only showing a way out after they initiate the art. This art could, and likely will, have disastrous effects on the main soul if performed. Even death was likely.

"Haaa..." With a deep exhale, he attempted to connect and locate his original body, but alas, he found no clue or indication of its existence. His choices were to either cultivate the art or stay here forever. Maniacs truly were willing to push others to death in pursuit of their ambitions.

"I don’t have enough time to analyze the art and ensure my safety...if I had my real body, my heavenly shrine, I could easily slow down time around myself, but...this space..." The empty blackness was eerie but also disconnected. He couldn’t feel any laws here.

He could understand why, to prevent any laws from causing a variable within the art, but it still frustrated him. "If I had enough time...maybe I could find my body, but I only have eighty or so years left..."

To heavenly cultivators, eighty years was a blink. The weakest heavenly cultivator could live for tens of thousands of years. This held true even for powerful essence cultivators. As for deducing or analyzing matters, that could take decades or centuries easily.

"Fine." Yan Zaizen touched his chest, a glowing marble appeared where his finger pressed. Pulling his finger, the marble that was Yan Linzen was extracted. Cautious of unexpected events, he stayed on guard. Fortunately, the world didn’t seem to react.

Inwardly sighing in relief, he looked towards the marble with a warm, loving gaze. In this gaze, a dense responsibility of protection laid.

"I, Yan Zaizen, have many things I must accomplish in this world, so many things or places still waiting to be discovered or traveled. Today, tomorrow, or for the next eighty-three years, I will not vanish even if the heavens will it. Even if destiny, the devils of hell, and the gods of all creation wills it." His words were domineering and even the empty space without laws seemed to quiver at his resolve and promise.

"I will bring you to meet her. I’m sure you’ll love her." With a smile, he caressed the marble. Closing his eyes, he felt his dao, he felt his soul, and then he felt his everything.

"Dao Consumption! For my Dao of Sovereign Ascension, I offer this soul, this flesh, and this mind!" Yan Zaizen’s eyes which were closed emitted a dense, brilliant amber-gold light that seemed like two suns hidden behind thin cloth. The world of blackness became a world of amber-gold, brilliant beyond measure, and warmer than a father’s loving embrace.

This amber-gold glow intensity continued to rise, no longer being contained in his eyes as it started to engulf his entire head. His nose, ears, and mouth poured out rays of light, forcing themselves open as if he was screaming in pain, but no sound was emitted, only light.

His body was next. The blood vessels, every strand of flesh, fiber of muscle, every organ, and cell in his body, from red to white, was engulfed by amber-gold light. Before long, he became a man of a single color - amber-gold. After a while, even his form couldn’t be distinguished from the other rays of light.

If a Heavenly Monarch were to see this light, regardless of their strength, they would most certainly go blind!

As for the hazy figure of the woman, she stood amidst the light. Her face was no longer blank. Particularly, her eyes. They were shining with a fantastical light of excitement and anticipation.

Despite all this, the marble wasn’t touched by anything. It was as if the light was forbidden from doing anything but protectively surrounding the marble. It was truly odd, reminiscent to an event horizon of a black hole.

A moment passed.

The rays of light died faster than it started. An amber-gold humanoid figure the size of a baby’s palm was all that remained. It calmly floated beside the marble. The surface of this humanoid figure was like hot lava. The light within were constantly moving at varying intensity.

This was Yan Zaizen!

To be specific, this was his Dao Heart, Soul Seed! In the Divine Art: Dao Heart, Grand Soul, it describes creating a seed of a dao with the characteristics of a soul. This could be considered the nascent form of a Dao Soul. Not the first to have ever been created, but the first where the user was still alive after, because this was Yan Zaizen’s second soul!

Normally, this act was truly suicidal. Regardless of one’s cultivation, doing this would, at most, expedite the construction of a fast Dao Treasure for future generations. However, the cost far outweighs the benefits. Firstly, death. Secondly, the inability to enter the reincarnation cycle - true death. Lastly, the lifespan of this seed.

It would sooner or later die, fading away, leading to even one’s dao to vanish for eternity.

Yet, Yan Zaizen had done this exact act!

Yri’s avatar’s expression regained its blank appearance as a shadow flickered atop the white, circular platform. This shadow soon materialized into Yan Zaizen’s true body that housed his true soul.

When Yan Zaizen arrived, he opened his eyes to see the marble and the Soul Seed. When he did, his eyes immediately brightened. Reaching out, the marble flew towards him. He smiled. With a thought, the marble was sent to the location where his parent’s rested. That location in the Meteor Ring was the most majestic and divine, appearing to be a palace and garden of the immortal-caliber.

Looking at this Soul Seed formed by his Dao, his smile was wiped away and his gaze sharpened. "Nascent Dao Soul," Yan Zaizen quietly and solemnly muttered. The Dao Heart, Grand Soul first part was completed: Merge the Soul with the Dao.

This process sacrificed everything for a Soul Seed, a Nascent Dao Soul.

The second part was to: Sacrifice Dao for connection.

Taking a deep breath, he sat in the lotus position. After regulating his breathing, his Dao Egg with an illusory kingly crown atop emerged from his chest. It floated silently before the Soul Seed.

This was the most dangerous part of the art. The reason was simple: the dao that was sacrificed wasn’t the Soul Seed, Nascent Dao Soul, but the Dao Egg!!

Yan Zaizen had to sacrifice his original dao to the Soul Seed. In success, an evolution that may be heaven-defying, may be heaven-exceeding, but in failure...the shattering and lost of his dao. Forever.

"I have accomplished the highly improbable, seen mysteries beyond the heavens, and will likely have to fight hell and heaven itself for the woman I love. If I, Yan Zaizen, feared anything, this can not and will not be it." His words granted him a formless strength and affirmation of his dao. As a sovereign, and a man who had to accomplish his goals, he couldn’t fear this!

"Dao Connection, Dao Heart Form!" Yan Zaizen coldly roared, the Dao Egg moved forward like a shooting star and impacted the Soul Seed.

A heaven-shattering sound erupted forth!!!