Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 647: Chapter 642: World-Shaking Wisdom, Weaving Fruits

In the blink of an eye, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch made his move.

After all, in his eyes, Progenitor Tingyou was a mere Outer Dao practitioner. Exchanging another word with him was a waste of time, and even hearing his voice sullied his ears.

The next second, he simply extended his hand and pointed.

With that single gesture, an immeasurable bright light suddenly illuminated Heaven and Earth. Within the light, myriad vistas unfurled, all of them reflected in Progenitor Tingyou’s eyes.

’So fast!’

Layers of imagery converged, finally taking the form of a single, fair-skinned finger as it descended.

Yet Progenitor Tingyou seemed not to react at all. He stood rooted to the spot, dumbstruck, allowing Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s finger to press against the center of his brow.

"BANG!"

In that instant, layer upon layer of the void shattered. A dense web of cracks spread out from Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s fingertip, swiftly covering Progenitor Tingyou’s entire body. They sliced through his Dharma Body and pulverized his Soul, giving him no chance to react. The terrifying radiance of the Sun was more than enough to annihilate any Divine Effect.

Yet in the next moment, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s brow furrowed.

’The feel... is wrong.’

He didn’t feel his attack connect. The Sun’s radiance he had unleashed, along with the magnificent Mana capable of causing a Broken Void, all felt as if they had struck a wad of cotton.

At the same time, Progenitor Tingyou had already formed a Daoist Hand Seal.

At his fingertips, a Bright Light ignited. Within the light was a sea of misty mirages, its churning tides constantly conjuring all manner of phantasms.

It was the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven]!

This Dao Fruit governed the transformation between illusion and reality. Its Divine Effect was originally limited to evading disaster and had little offensive power, making it a highly specialized Fruit.

As a result, since his Attainment, Progenitor Tingyou had almost never engaged in direct combat. At most, he would entangle and stall his opponents. This didn’t mean, however, that he had given up on fighting. After all, Lü Yang’s situation was growing visibly more precarious. How could he allow himself to stagnate?

So, he had been researching.

Ever since attaining the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven], he had dedicated decades to his research. After arriving at the Celestial Mansion, he had also witnessed many of Lü Yang’s fortuitous encounters.

He had studied the [Path Opening Map].

He was also researching the [Fruit of Money].

He had consulted the [Sea of Suffering].

He had even taken a small piece of the [Mingtian] Fruit that Lü Yang had swallowed, believing that [Mingtian] and the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] were actually quite compatible.

But the most crucial step came after he arrived at the 9th Layer. From his vantage point there, he looked down and personally witnessed the Celestial Mansion that Si Chou had become. By combining that sight with the images from the [Path Opening Map], Progenitor Tingyou gained a new level of enlightenment and was finally able to perfect his creation.

"It’s still unrefined, but it should be good enough to test..."

As his voice fell, the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] at his fingertip immediately transformed. The sea of misty mirages gradually solidified, then resolved into a new image of light and shadow.

It was a Dao Fruit.

As far as the eye could see, the Dao Fruit resembled a lush, towering tree, its spreading branches blotting out the clouds and sun. If Lü Yang had been there to see it, he would have been utterly dumbfounded.

The [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood]!

That’s right. What the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] was conjuring at this very moment was none other than Ang Xiao’s [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood]!

He had constructed it out of thin air by borrowing some of the conceptual power of [Mingtian] and combining it with his own understanding of the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood].

Of course, up to this point, it was merely an imitation.

Nothing more than a meaningless, illusory image.

However, as the Mighty Power of the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] descended, the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood]—which had been nothing but an illusion—began to manifest into reality, bit by bit!

For a moment, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch was stunned.

’What did I just do?’

The daze lasted only an instant. In the next moment, the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood] that Progenitor Tingyou had conjured shattered with a roar. After all, he was not a true Supreme Venerable.

In essence, he had merely converted the concept of the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] into that of the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood]. It was a pale imitation, and its Position was still at the Outer Dao level, far from that of a true Supreme Venerable. Even so, just by brushing against the power of an Emperor Fruit, the effect was still incredible!

PFFT!

The moment Du Xuan Immortal Monarch froze, Progenitor Tingyou had already gently pressed his palm against his chest. A fiery light flared in his palm.

At the same time, within the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven], the shattered [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood] did not dissipate. Instead, it transformed at the speed of light as a blazing sun leaped forth from the roiling sea of mist.

The [Fruit of Celestial Fire]!

Compared to the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood], the [Fruit of Celestial Fire] that Progenitor Tingyou conjured was undoubtedly more realistic. After all, he had only observed the [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood] many times without ever wielding it himself. In contrast, when Lü Yang had once bestowed upon him the Honorary Title of [Youdu Xuanming Prefect], it had been infused with the light of the [Fruit of Celestial Fire].

’[Deprive]!’

At this moment, the fire in Progenitor Tingyou’s palm flickered, Dao Talismans flowing within it. Incredibly, he had managed to simulate sixty percent of the [Fruit of Celestial Fire]’s might.

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch stared, aghast. A chill ran through him.

’An Emperor Fruit? What?!’

Instantly, the radiance of the Sun covering his body withered away, inch by inch. After Progenitor Tingyou deprived him of it, the power was turned back against him, its original master.

But he quickly regained his composure.

In the next moment, a Splendid Light erupted from Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s eyes. A Golden Bell, seemingly forged from that light, leaped from his pupils as if it were burning. He shook it, and it rang out with a deafening roar:

"[Celestial Capital Demonic Breaking Divine Sound]!"

"CLANG—!"

The mighty toll of the bell activated the concept of [Sun Cold Water] to its Extreme, annihilating the Ten Thousand Laws in its path and forcing Progenitor Tingyou to retreat.

Clearly, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch was getting flustered.

His once-composed expression had vanished, replaced by a slight flush of angry desperation. Just now, he had been forced to use a Forbidden Technique!

If word of this got out, his reputation would be in tatters. At that moment, his gaze toward Progenitor Tingyou was filled with murderous intent!

Progenitor Tingyou, however, was completely unconcerned. He even seemed somewhat delighted.

’It really works! Even an Outer Dao... even an Outer Dao Fruit Position can be improved! Although the Fruits themselves are a self-contained system that cannot advance... it’s possible to find a different path.’

The method was simple.

’Since I can’t add new concepts into the Fruit’s system, why not just wrap a new shell around it? I can make the Fruit itself part of a larger system!’

’Just like this...’

At this moment, Progenitor Tingyou’s expression was incredibly solemn. He no longer resembled a Cultivator, but rather a scholar, a researcher.

He was researching the Fruits!

He was conducting an experiment!

’The road ahead is long and I see no end; yet high and low I’ll search with my will unbending...’

With that thought, the Daoist Hand Seal Progenitor Tingyou was forming changed. Within the [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven], the sea of mist churned as he conjured one concept after another.

The [Fruit of Great-Forest Wood], the [Fruit of Spring Water].

The [Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth], the [Fruit of Hairpin-Brace Metal].

The [Fruit of Celestial Fire].

These conjured Fruits were extremely illusory and lacked the conceptual backing to be made real. The [Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven] alone could not turn them from illusion into reality.

’Hmm... not a major problem.’

The next second, Progenitor Tingyou looked up. With a single Heart Thought, the [Sea of Suffering] opened, and a boundless torrent of conceptual water rushed toward him!

Without a Void Attainment Position, Refining the waters of the [Sea of Suffering] required painstakingly stripping away the extraneous concepts mixed within, taking the essence and discarding the dregs. The process was incredibly inefficient. At this moment, however, Progenitor Tingyou used his own astonishing intellect to forcefully overcome this drawback!

Different people refine the water of the [Sea of Suffering] at different speeds.

For the same amount of water from the [Sea of Suffering], if Lü Yang needed the time it takes an incense stick to burn to refine it, Progenitor Tingyou needed only a single breath!

"RUMBLE!"

At this moment, empowered by the waters of the [Sea of Suffering], the Fruits Progenitor Tingyou had conjured leaped forth, then plunged into his body.

The Five Elements were now complete!

In an instant, Progenitor Tingyou vanished. His supposedly weak Outer Dao Position surged with power, allowing him to transform into a figure of light and shadow that blotted out the sky.

Then, the figure of light pointed a single finger downward.

Seeing this, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch was completely stunned, unable to comprehend how an Outer Dao True Monarch he so despised could accomplish such a feat.

’Is this fake?’

"BOOM!"

The next second, excruciating pain wracked his entire body, forcing him to abandon that thought. For a moment, he was filled with both fury and admiration, finding the whole situation utterly unbelievable.

’It’s actually real!’

’How can such a prodigy exist in this world!?’