A spirit manifested from rules was vastly different from a living being. They were essentially a simple program after creation, operating in accordance with predefined directives. It wasn’t until they came in contact with more living beings and absorbed emotions that they slowly developed their own thoughts and logic, thereby forming a sense of self.
After they defined their own being, they could determine good from evil, right and wrong, perspectives, and craft their own thoughts and plans. They could even possess the ability to learn and gradually evolve toward a true life form.
But they still wouldn’t be truly alive—they continued to behave according to established rules. The Argent Snow spirit’s speech when trying to convince Lu Yun, for example, was likely the influence of a certain being that had become a deeply rooted belief in the spirit’s own mind.
However, Lu Yun’s refute had been so revolutionary that when the spirit’s consciousness couldn’t accept it, his replica exploded like a computer overloaded from input impossible to process.
He returned after a short while.
“Someone misled me and said that peerless geniuses can make their own way without needing to imitate others.” He shook his head, confusion still noticeable in his eyes. “But why? Shouldn’t the best geniuses discard unoriginal thoughts and proceed according to only their own?
“Why was Xing Chen, someone who only followed in another’s footsteps, able to kill Sword Snow when he forged his own path?”
Sword Snow was the founding ancestor of the Snowsword Sect.
“Civilization flourishes and dao prospers… today will always triumph over yesterday.” Lu Yun suddenly felt that he needed to educate the deeply conflicted spirit of the rules. “This is because civilization of modern times stands on the shoulders of bygone cultures and treads the road that was laid by the ancients.
“The most initial dao was very simple. It followed a primitive trajectory, the changing of the seasons, the form of flora and fauna. It then gradually metamorphosed from those and began to perfect itself, reaching new heights.
“Those who came after pioneered dao methods, consulting not the evolution of dao, but what it was in its final form of that time. They also improved upon their creations, raising everything another level higher. Would you tell someone who’s never practiced a combat art to invent one? As prodigious as their powers of comprehension may be, what they come up with will never measure up to someone who actually knows combat arts.
“This is not the ancient times, we stand at a very high starting point. Even the greatest of potential cannot start from zero,” Lu Yun sighed. “I don’t know who invented the Three Thousand Soul Daos, but I do know it is the building block of all soul force methods.
“Though many sects in the fourth realm use it as part of their foundation, everyone chooses other stronger methods to increase their strength after they attain a rudimentary level of soul force. Only with sufficient strength and cultivation level does one have the right to comprehend more from the Three Thousand Soul Daos!
“The Snow Sword you speak of probably spent his life studying the method, trying to find his own way and grasp a method of Argent Snow that belonged to him alone. What a pity that he lived in an era of the eight great legacies…”
Lu Yun shook his head and thought of the high speed rails on Earth—fast, safe, and reliable. They were the transportation method of choice, exceeding even planes in their popularity.
Their prototype was the humble steam engine, but Earthlings hadn’t invented the high speed rail by studying steam engines. They’d upgraded existing trains and rails until the leap in technology was feasible; the steam engine had long fallen by the wayside.
While the Three Thousand Soul Daos was still highly relevant, Lu Yun believed that it wouldn’t be long before a new and improved version came along.
Such was the general trend of events with the advancement of society.
Although the original Hongmeng had kept order under control during its era and cultivation methods had seemed to be the most prosperous, no one was able to string the worlds of the Boundless Planes together. Ribbons of light containing numerous worlds were an unthinkable achievement.
Some of the modern combat arts and secret methods exceeded those of the last epoch. Lu Yun studied the legacies of the original Hongmeng because he wished to use them as a foundation for which to upgrade and improve.
“What we need to do now is innovate, not recreate the wheel from scratch.” Lu Yun stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Only when reaching a certain height does one have the right to create.”
When he and Qing Yu created formula dao, they’d been aided by treasures such as the Tome of Life and Death, despite not standing at the peak of the world of immortals themselves. Lu Yun had feared almost no one then—he and Qing Yu had been at that certain height.
“The first combat arts and cultivation methods to come into existence must have been riddled with holes. They needed to be continuously honed and perfected. There is still a very long ways to go.”
“You… are correct…” the spirit responded dumbly after listening to Lu Yun’s lecture. “Here is the legacy of the Domain of First Snowfall as according to our agreement.”
He waved a beam of silver light into Lu Yun’s forehead. The spirit was thoroughly convinced and discarded the theory that he’d once cherished from the bottom of his heart.
“I have impeded three since the dawn of the new epoch. You are the fourth, and thankfully you are not as pedantic as them,” the spirit smiled.
“You existed during the time of the original Hongmeng?” Lu Yun snapped out of digesting the legacy when he heard these remarks, instantly grasping the spirit’s main point.
“Yes,” the other nodded. “There were once only seven great soul weapons in the trials of Soul Dominion. One more appeared during the time of the original Hongmeng. It is because of that additional spirit of the rules that the rest of us gained our own thoughts.”
“The Profound Pagoda?” Lu Yun asked subconsciously. God was its creator and he was someone from the original Hongmeng. Additionally, the other seven appeared in stick form whereas the pagoda was as it looked.
“Correct, and the Profound Pagoda is also stronger than us. Our inheritors will be no match for those of the pagoda if they are of the same level,” the spirit answered truthfully.
“That’s why… you thought that way before?” Lu Yun was beginning to understand the reason for the spirit’s actions.
“I did not know how to think when the Profound Pagoda appeared. I just thought that since it was stronger than all of us the second it appeared, it was more important to walk your own path. It now looks like its creator started from the end of our path to create the Profound Pagoda.”
The spirit chuckled. “Alright, I will gift you the legacies of the Domains of Glorious Snowdrift and Eventide Snow, and even higher domains, when you finish the twenty-seventh floor.”
He waved a hand and sent Lu Yun out of the realm.
……
“Eh? You’re finally out, little brother!” Sword Thirteen’s eyes lit up when Lu Yun suddenly materialized.
“You’re the weird kid that Sword Thirteen talked about?” Sword Feather approached them as well.
“Sword Thirteen?” Lu Yun paused with shock when he heard the name, not even taking a clear look at the other two first. “You’re Sword Thirteen?” He snuck a look at the Argent Snow Hero Ranking over his head.
Sword Thirteen of the Sword Clan was ranked number one hundred on the ranking.
There were a total of twenty-four thousand names on the eight Hero Rankings. Anyone listed on them was an absolute genius and powerhouse in the Boundless Realms.
While there were more than just supplemental cultivators in the fourth realms, to the people, these twenty-four thousand were undeniable elites. Their strength and potential were acknowledged by all.
Being ranked as number one hundred on the ranking, Sword Thirteen had practiced his Argent Snow to an ultimate realm. He could absolutely kill others above his level—if he were a Void World King, he would be able to kill ordinary Nihil World Sovereigns.
Normally speaking, the gap between the two was too big. When Nihil World Sovereigns revealed their true forms, they were so vast that Void World Kings were unable to see them. But someone listed as number one hundred on the Hero Rankings could kill such a person if there was nothing uncommon about their target.
He was the greatest genius of the younger generation in the Sword Clan. Sword Thirteen was indeed a Void World King.
“Feng Feifan of the Star Sect.” Lu Yun raised a cupped fist salute to Sword Thirteen.
“Feng Feifan?” Sword Thirteen and Sword Feather looked at each other, unfamiliar with the name.
That was to be expected, since Lu Yun wasn’t famous within the sect. He was more known for being part of the love triangle between Xing Lan and Xing Lingkong. Such gossip abounded in the Star Sect and other factions couldn’t be bothered to collect this kind of intelligence.
“Just a nameless person in the Star Sect,” Lu Yun chuckled. “I’m going to go back and cultivate now, so I take my leave.”
He raised another cupped fist salute and hugged his seat cushion, returning to the Hall of Soul Dominion and leaving the testing grounds.
“I need to go back and investigate this Feng Feifan. He’s no ordinary person,” Sword Thirteen murmured to himself when he saw the young man leave. Stunning geniuses as him always trusted their intuition.
etvolare's Thoughts
Folks, some big changes coming to WW's reading model if you haven't already read the announcement. Although tbh, if you're reading this chapter, it won't affect you as much lol. Check the link for my thoughts & discussion!
