The two palm prints looked ordinary, but they gave off an extraordinary feeling. Any regular person placing their palms on the prints wouldn’t invoke any reaction. Only someone like Xiang Shaoyun, who had experienced the dao of time and cultivated the powers of yin and yang, would be able to trigger a reaction from the prints.
Xiang Shaoyun met both requirements. More importantly, he also had the Light of Wisdom. All those factored in when it came to unlocking the secret of these prints. When Xiang Shaoyun was experiencing the dao of time, his Light of Wisdom had allowed him to obtain a deep comprehension of it. He had even formed some sort of resonance with the dao of time, allowing him to slightly comprehend the profundity of time.
The dao of time was something only someone with the Light of Wisdom could comprehend. Anyone without the Light of Wisdom would probably only be able to scratch the surface of the dao.
With both his palms on the prints, the Light of Wisdom activated. He muttered, “The two extremities begets the yin and yang. The yin and yang spun into time and space, which begets all creation. Embracing the yin, guarding the yang…”
He was chanting the Desolate mantra, which contained the profundities of the supreme great dao. This was a mantra that would grant him boundless comprehension each time he chanted it. This time was no exception.
As he chanted the mantra, his energies of yin and yang flowed out. The energies of black and white surged out from both his hands and entered the stele. And when the two energies entered the stele, an astonishing change occurred.
Two energies burst out of the stele. One was black, and one was white, each turning into a dragonfish and swimming in the air. A boundless power surged into the sky, shaking the entire grotto. The many bone race members, beasts, and other beings prostrated on the ground, not daring to do anything.
The two dragonfish swam in a circle and formed a Tai Chi diagram, with each chasing the other’s tail. The prints on the stele erupted in power, blooming with the dao of time. The dao instantly threw the passage of time in the area into chaos.
As for Xiang Shaoyun, both his palms were stuck on the prints. It wouldn’t be easy for him to pull his hands out. His energies of yin and yang were also flowing uncontrollably out of his body into the stele.
At the same time, his Light of Wisdom shone brightly, releasing strands of light that tangled with the chaotic power of time around him. The strands constantly absorbed the dao of time into the space inside his head.
His soul foundation manifested by itself. His soul with the Nether Soul Dragon Headband on it sat atop his soul foundation as his foundation started accepting the marks of the dao of time.
This was a form of ancient inheritance—an inheritance of a great dao. It would implant some memories in Xiang Shaoyun that would last for eternity, and they couldn’t be erased. In the future, he would be able to slowly comprehend the implanted memories.
He had touched many of the markings on the stele earlier. But now that the powers of multiple markings were manifesting at the same time, his mind sank into chaos. His age changed constantly. From a young man, he turned into a middle-aged man, then an old man, and then he changed again. He experienced numerous tortures almost collapsed mentally.
Time was the only thing nobody was immune to, unless one had gone beyond the Saint Realm, entering the realm of godhood. While Xiang Shaoyun was tormented by the dao of time, his Light of Wisdom continuously enlightened him.
The markings of the dao of time started resonating with the Desolation mantra, as though the two had always been one.
The dao of time seemed to be complementing the Desolation mantra, further perfecting the mantra. At the same time, the dao of time also existed independently without conflicting with the other portions of the Desolation mantra.
Time passed while Xiang Shaoyun’s yin and yang energies slowly dried up. The energy powering the stele started lessening, and the chaotic power of time started calming. The yin and yang dragonfish also began to fade, but the marks branded onto his soul foundation by the Light of Wisdom remained.
When the dragonfish vanished, all the energy in the area vanished. Calm returned. Xiang Shaoyun sat weakly atop the stele, his entire body drenched with sweat. He did not dare to loosen his nerves. He directly sat cross-legged and entered a state of meditation. He emptied his mind and started comprehending the inheritance he had just received.
The dao of time was the most heaven-defying dao in existence, one of the strongest daos. It controlled time, controlled life and death; all living beings feared it.
The different powers of the time marks appeared in Xiang Shaoyun’s mind. He also went through all that had happened when the dao of time and Desolation mantra resonated.
He repeatedly studied the yin and yang dragonfish. Every move of the dragonfish was akin to the flow and ebb of time, stimulating the passage of time and presenting a clear dao of time before him. Time fragments flashed through his mind. They were hazy and ethereal, yet it was undeniable that they existed.
Even with the Light of Wisdom, Xiang Shaoyun failed to memorize all the time fragments he saw. He couldn’t comprehend the dao of time with only one look at the fragments. However, he had still benefited greatly. He had deepened his understanding of the dao of time, which placed him far ahead of many cultivators. He had even obtained some inspiration on how to utilize the dao of time in battle.
Previously, his Yin Yang Shield was capable of protecting him. Now, not only had the shield’s defensive prowess grown, but he could also transform the powers of yin and yang into the sharpest blade to harm his enemies.
He recalled Devil Concubine’s method of yin and yang manipulation that could be used offensively and defensively. Now, he was also capable of the same. This was the benefit of grasping the dao of time. Even though he had barely scratched its surface, the little comprehension he had was extremely valuable.
He sat there for an indeterminate amount of time before he finally woke up. When he opened his eyes, energies of yin and yang swirled in his eyes, with one of his eyes white and the other black.
“The dao of time is basically the dao of yin and yang. Dividing the yin and yang, time shall flow. As time flows, the yin and yang will spin, stimulating the passage of time. As the yin and yang continue to spin together, time shall return. The movement of yin and yang is equal to the movement of time. Heaven and earth are yin and yang, and this is eternal. The one grasping the yin and yang will be unequaled,” muttered Xiang Shaoyun.
The more he learned about the dao of time, the more he realized how terrifying the great dao was. He came to the realization that all he had cultivated so far was merely a drop in the ocean representing the great dao. His present accomplishments were nothing in the grand scheme of things.
He casually drew a sword and started practicing swordplay right where he stood. Strands of yin and yang energies started swirling around him as he danced with the sword.
Initially, the strands appeared in a chaotic manner and were in a complete mess. But as the yin and yang dragonfish started spinning in his soul foundation, chaos receded, and order came. The strands were moving in a smooth and orderly manner.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
